Upset with BJP, Munde resigns as general secretary

Upset over the appointment of key functionaries of Bharatiya Janata Party's Mumbai unit by the party's central leadership, its senior leader Gopinath Munde on Sunday resigned from all organizational posts, resenting lack of democracy in the party.

Munde, who is BJP's national general secretary, dashed off his resignation letter to party President Rajnath Singh.

"I have resigned from all posts of the party. There is lack of democracy in the party. I would like to work as an ordinary party worker," Mude told reporters in Aurangabad.

Munde is apparently miffed at the appointment of Member of Legislative Council Madhu Chavan, considered close to state BJP president Nitin Gadkari, as the head of the party's Mumbai unit, BJP sources said.

Ties between Munde and Gadkari have remained strained for quite some time. Munde reportedly wanted the party leadership to appoint Kirit Somaiya as the chief of the Mumbai BJP unit.  

" I have nothing to do with this controversy," Kirit Somaiya told rediff.com.

Rajnath Singh and senior BJP leader L K Advani are understood to have cleared the appointment of Chavan as the President of the party's Mumbai unit.

The BJP central leadership said that there was no question of accepting Munde's resignation and authorised Rajnath Singh to talk to the Maharashtra leader to sort out the problem.

The resignation of Munde came up at a meeting of senior BJP leaders, convened by Rajnath Singh, at his residence.

Emerging from the meeting, BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley told reporters, "We have not received any resignation so far. Even if we receive one, there is no question of it being accepted."

BJP sources said the meeting decided to authorise Singh to hold dialogue with Munde. Jaitely said the party is confident that "differences, if any, would soon be sorted out."

With inputs from PTI