24 March,2024 05:38 PM IST | Beed | mid-day online correspondent
Pankaja Munde and Dhahanjay Munde together at Gopinath Gad. Pic/X
Maharashtra minister and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) leader Dhananjay Munde joined his cousin and BJP's Beed Lok Sabha constituency candidate Pankaja Munde to pay homage at the memorial of her late father Gopinath Munde on Sunday.
The cousins arrived together in Beed and received grand welcome by their supporters. Pankaja Munde is nominated by the BJP from Beed constituency, replacing her sister Pritam Munde, the sitting BJP MP from Beed.
Notably, in 2019 state assembly elections, Dhananjay Munde had defeated his cousin, Pankaja from Parli seat. Pankaja was a minister in the previous Devendra Fadnavis government. Pankaja later had expressed disappointed for side-lining from BJP, and there were speculations that she could leave the party. However, Pankaja reassured that she was loyal with the BJP. She was later appointed as BJP's national secretary.
After announcement of her nomination for Lok Sabha, Pankaja said she is confident of her win as now she also has support from her brother, Dhananjay. The NCP (Ajit Pawar) faction is in alliance with the BJP and Dhananjay is the minister in the current three-party government in Maharashtra.
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On Sunday, speaking with the media, Pankaja Munde said, "I have come to the 'Gopinath Gad' for the first time after the announcement of my candidature. I told Dhananjay Munde that I will come to his residence to seek the blessings of elders in the family and will appeal for his help in the elections." "Here he came as a brother, but as he is the guardian minister of Beed district, I will also go to his residence," she added.
Meanwhile, Dhananjay said that it was an emotion moment for him as his sister is been nominated for Lok Sabha and he was meeting her on Sunday as an elder brother. "We will come to know on June 4 how favourable the environment for BJP is in Beed. Rest we will speak once the candidate of the opposition is declared," he added.
Elections to the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra will be held in five phases from April 19 to May 20 and votes will be counted on June 4.
(With PTI inputs)
