No berth for Pritam Munde in Union cabinet, 20 BJP office-bearers quit in Maharashtra's Beed  district

BEED: More than 20 office-bearers of the BJP from Beed district in Maharashtra resigned in protest against local MP Pritam Munde Khade not finding a place in the newly-expanded Union council of ministers, a local leader said on Sunday.

He also said members of Beed Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti along with BJP councillors from Ambajogai have left for Mumbai to submit their resignations.

Among those who have quit over the last two days included a member of the Beed Zilla Parishad and a member of the Panchayat Samiti besides BJP district general secretary, student wing president, district vice president, tehsil president, and district vice president of the BJP youth wing.

They handed over their resignations to BJP district president Rajendra Maske, the leader said.

"Pritam Munde was in the reckoning to get a cabinet berth, but her name was dropped at the last minute. Thousands of workers of BJP were waiting to see Pritam Munde get a place in the expanded council of ministers. However, their dream was shattered when her name did not figure in the final list. In protest, I am resigning from the post," said BJP Beed district general secretary Sarjerao Tandle.

However, BJP national secretary Pankaja Munde had denied reports that her MP sister Pritam Munde Khade was upset over not getting a berth in the Union cabinet.

Pankaja, a former minister in the then BJP government in Maharashtra, had also said that the party workers were confident that Pritam will be inducted into the council of ministers.

Pankaja had clarified that any decision made by the BJP is acceptable to her and her sister as they are loyal workers of the saffron party.

During the recent expansion of the Union cabinet, Vanjara community leader Dr Bhagwat Karad, a Rajya Sabha MP, who hails from neighbouring Aurangabad district was inducted as the minister of state.

Karad had been groomed by BJP stalwart late Gopinath Munde, a Vanjari leader, largely credited for expanding the BJP organisation among OBCs and other caste groups.

Denying reports that a lobby within the BJP was active to finish her political career, Pankaja had referred to the legacy of her late father Gopinath Munde.

Meanwhile, sources said Pankaja will meet BJP office-bearers on Tuesday and convince them to withdraw their resignations.