Pankaja Munde reaches out to Dalits and OBC; promises action if are 'troubled'

Ahead of Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024 BJP leader Pankaja Munde on Saturday reached out to Dalits and Other Backward Classes OBC vowing to take cognisance if they are troubled reported the PTIPankaja Munde who lost the Lok Sabha polls on her home turf Beed district in Maharashtra the epicentre of Maratha protests led by activist Manoj Jarange was addressing her annual Dussehra rally at Sawargaon Ghat the birthplace of Sant Bhagwanbaba a saint of her Vanjari communityState agriculture minister and her cousin Dhananjay Munde and Laxman Hake who had protested opposing any potential dilution of the OBC reservation were among those who spoke at the rallyPankaja Munde expressed her concerns over the rising caste schism within societyIf a vehicle hits someone people ask the caste of the driver People want to know the caste of a person who has committed brutality against a small child and killed her We dont want such a society she said as per the PTIThe BJP national secretary warned that they would take cognisance if the poor Dalits OBCs and others are troubled in the statePankaja Munde said she inherited the legacy of her father and late BJP stalwart Gopinath Munde and thanked people for giving her respect despite her electoral setbackTo reciprocate for the respect I received I will tour the state The poor are waiting for good days by keeping their faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership Now we must play our cards she said the news agency reported on SaturdayShe also appealed to labourers from her area involved in the sugar industry not to leave for work before casting their votes Sugarcane cutting season starts in October in MaharashtraElections to the 288member state assembly will likely be held in November BJP is a partner in the ruling Mahayuti coalition also comprising Ajit Pawarled NCP and Shiv Sena headed by Chief Minister Eknath ShindeI never discriminated between the villages that voted for me and those that didnt during fund allocation A mistake happened this time in Lok Sabha polls but we want to overcome that failure said the former state minister as per the PTIReferring to the Lok Sabha polls in Beed where she lost to Congress Bajrang Sonawane by about 6500 votes Pankaja Munde said Im not desperate for a post Five persons lost their lives by suicide before I became an MLC Even though I dont hold any post I will not abandon those who have supported meThe Ajit Pawarled Nationalist Congress Party NCP leader Dhananjay Munde said Gopinath Munde and Pankaja Munde struggled for the people not for themselvesToday people from all communities are here The crowd here today shows that we are all united he saidWithout taking the name of Manoj Jarange who incidentally held a Dussehra rally at Narayangad in Beed district he appealed to people to stay unitedIf we unite no one can organise another such event in this area and undermine Pankaja Mundes annual Dussehra rally This is the time for struggle and we need to stand with each other he addedwith PTI inputs