Post tiff within BJP, state chief to be decided by high command

With differences between the Nitin Gadkari and Gopinath Munde camps having delayed the appointment of the state unit chief of the Bhartiya Janata Party, the decision is now expected to be taken by the party leadership in Delhi next week.

Though the state core committee met on a couple of occasions without any conclusion, the leaders from both the camps have been holding meetings independently. The Munde camp has been batting for Devendra Fadnavis, while former national chief Gadkari wants Sudhir Mungantiwar to continue on the post. The three-year term of Mungantiwar ended more than a month ago.

In a meeting held earlier this week, Gadkari insisted on an extension to the incumbent state chief. Munde has strongly opposed this and believes that younger leaders such as Devendra Fadanvis should be appointed in the light of the forthcoming assembly election.

Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Eknath Khadse said the decision would be taken before the meeting of the national council of the party to be held on March 1. “We have no differences among us and the decision will be taken unanimously with consent from the high command,” he said.

The core committee is now expected to finalise two names for the final decision by the Delhi leaders. Munde had said last week that the final decision would be taken with the consensus in the state core committee meeting and in deliberation with the high command.

Two other names under consideration are Khadse and Vinod Tawde. However, both the leaders have refused to take the responsibility. Tawde, who took over as the leader of Opposition in the state council a year ago, said he wanted to concentrate on that role, while Khadse has cited ill health as the reason for his dissent.