Pankaja Munde says not quitting BJP, claims 'plot to finish off my political career'

Mumbai, July 7 Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pankaja Munde on Friday categorically stated that she is not quitting the party as speculated, but claimed that there's a plot to finish off her political career.

Speaking to the media, Munde -- the daughter of the late Union Minister Gopinath Munde -- said that since the past four years, periodic rumours have circulated that she's disgruntled with the BJP and planning to join some other party.

In the latest such 'news', it was reported by a TV channel that she would soon join the Congress -- prompting the state party President Nana Patole on Thursday to even 'welcome' her if she decided so.

"This is nonsense, I have never expressed any so-called 'unhappiness' with the BJP or demanded any posts or said I will go to any party… Yet every now and then such mischievous news is being spread in the media. This is clearly a conspiracy to finish off my political career," declared Munde.

She made it clear that she has never seen or met Congress leaders like Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi in her life, and threatened to slap a libel suit on the concerned TV channel in the matter.

Munde reiterated that she has been with the BJP since the past two decades and will continue to work with it as "backstabbing and betrayal are not in my blood", while announcing a two-month 'break' to tide over the current spate of speculation.