Legacy is a big thing in politics. When a young leader enters politics through this legacy, his start starts from a point where it takes decades for an ordinary worker to reach. Today’s story is about the daughter of a veteran BJP leader. At one time, she was counted among the top leaders of the BJP. This is from the time when the BJP was upset at having to stand by holding the hands of regional parties in a few states of the country.
Actually, we are talking about the late Gopinath Munde, a veteran leader of Maharashtra BJP. He was a top BJP leader in Maharashtra. He was made the Deputy Chief Minister in the first BJP-Shiv Sena coalition government formed in the state in the nineties. Then he was made the Rural Development Minister in the Modi government at the Centre in 2014. But, a few days after becoming a minister, he died in a road accident. Gopinath Munde was a senior to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in Maharashtra politics. Gadkari has said many times on public forums that despite becoming the national president, he used to touch Munde’s feet.
After Munde’s death, the responsibility of handling his political legacy fell on his two daughters Pankaja Munde and Pritam Munde. Munde was elected MP from the Beed seat of the state. After his death, a by-election was held in 2014 and Pritam Munde stepped down to take over her father’s legacy. She also won from here in 2014 and then in 2019. Then the party did not give her a ticket in the 2024 elections.
Munde’s political legacy
Gopinath’s elder daughter Pankaja Munde remained active in state politics. She entered politics while her father was alive. She reached the assembly from Parli seat in 2009. After the death of her father Gopinath, NDA government was formed in Maharashtra in 2014 under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis. She became the Minister of Rural, Women and Child Development in that government. But, by 2019, her politics came under the influence of Saturn. She lost the assembly elections in 2019. After this, she became a little isolated politically. Then in 2024, the party probably made a formula to give ticket to only one person from the family. Due to this, only one of Pankaja and her sister Pritam could get the ticket. Then Pritam withdrew from electoral politics. Pankaja contested from her father’s parliamentary seat Beed, but this time too she lost.
Legislative Council candidate
Now BJP is preparing to send Pankaja to the House through the back door. It has announced the names of five candidates for the Legislative Council elections, which also includes Pankaja Munde’s name. After Pankaja Munde got the ticket, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that she has not been a public representative for the last six years. In such a situation, the party has now prepared to give her a gift.
Property owned by Pankaja
Pankaja Munde has a total of Rs 91 lakh 23 thousand 861 deposited in various bank accounts. She has assets worth Rs 1 crore 28 lakh 75 thousand 694 in her name in various shares and mutual funds. She does not have any vehicle in her name. Pankaja Munde’s immovable property is worth Rs 96 lakh 73 thousand 490 while movable property is worth Rs 6 crore 8 lakh 15 thousand 709. She has a total debt of Rs 2 crore 74 lakh 89 thousand 518. Her husband has a bank loan of Rs 2 crore 50 lakh 32 thousand 427 in his name. She has 2.84 lakh cash, 450 grams of gold, 4 kg silver and other jewelery worth Rs 2.30 lakh.
Tags: BJP, Maharashtra BJP
FIRST PUBLISHED : July 3, 2024, 18:21 IST