'My leaders are PM Modi, Amit Shah', says Pankaja Munde as supporters protest

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national secretary Pankaja Munde on Tuesday said that she has rejected the resignation of supporters who had stepped down from various local bodies in Maharashtra districts after being miffed over her sister Pritam Munde Khade not getting a ministerial berth in the recent Cabinet expansion by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing mediapersons here, Munde said, "I reject everyone's resignation. Did I ask you to resign? No. I don't want people to sacrifice for me. I don't want to get into this 'dharmayuddha'."

She also said that she was happy that Dr Bhagwat Karad, from her Beed community, was given a ministerial berth.

Reiterating that neither Pritam nor she desired a ministerial berth, Munde said, "Munde sahib (Gopinath Munde) always gave higher posts to people from society's lower sections. He didn't bring Pritam and me into politics to become ministers. When he passed away, Maharashtra BJP offered me a minister post but I refused. Pritam and I have no desire for it."

She further added that she spoke with her supporters today because they had resigned even after she had clarified that she was not upset with the decision of the central leadership.

"I work at the national level. My leaders are Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and JP Nadda. I spoke to my workers today because many of our people had offered resignations as they were of the belief that we get a berth in the recent cabinet expansion," Munde said.

Pankaja is daughter of late Gopinath Munde, the BJP stalwart from Vanjari community who was a union minister and also a former deputy chief minister of Maharashtra.

Pankaja Munde had held a press conference after the revamp of PM Modi's Cabinet too and had rubbished the reports of being upset with the party over her sister Pritam Munde Khade not getting a ministerial berth.

( With inputs from ANI )