Maharashtra BJP announces new executive, Pankaja soon to get ''national'' role

Maharashtra unit president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chandrakant Patil on Friday announced names of state executive members with 12 vice presidents, 12 secretaries, six general secretaries and a treasurer. Eknath Khadse, Prakash Mehta and Vinod Tawde will serve as members of the specially invited state executive. Patil said that the Centre wants Pankaja Munde to focus on the Center rather than the state.

Addressing a press conference, Patil said that apart from her position at the national level, Munde will also be made part of the state BJP''s core committee.

Pankaja Munde had lost the Parli seat to her cousin and NCP rival Dhananjay Munde in the state assembly polls held last year. She had been reportedly sulking since her defeat in the state polls. She was reportedly also upset over not being given candidature for the state Legislative Council polls held on May 21.

"Munde will be given a party position at the national level soon. She will also be made part of the state BJP''s core committee," Patil said.

He said that the new executive committee has 12 vice presidents, including former state minister Ram Shinde, former ministers and current legislators Jaykumar Raval and Sanjay Kute.

Beed MP and Pankaja''s younger sister Pritam Munde and state BJP spokesman Madhav Bhandari are two vice presidents of the executive committee, he added.

Former energy minister Chandrashekar Bawankule is among the five general secretaries of the state executive, Patil said.

There will be 12 secretaries and one treasurer as well as 55 special invitees, he said.