Minister Dhananjay Munde joins cousin Pankaja to pay tributes at Gopinath Munde's memorial

Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde joined his cousin and BJP's Beed Lok Sabha seat candidate Pankaja Munde to pay homage at the memorial of her late father Gopinath Munde on Sunday. In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, Dhananjay Munde defeated his cousin, who was a minister in the previous Devendra Fadnavis government, from Parli seat.

On Sunday, the cousins arrived together at late BJP leader Gopinath Munde's memorial in Beed. Pankaja's sister Pritam Munde, the sitting BJP MP from Beed, was also present.

Talking to reporters, BJP national secretary 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 go to his residence,'' she 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.

Dhananjay Munde said, ''It is an emotional moment for me as my sister has been nominated for the Lok Sabha poll. Broad mindedness should be shown, so I came here. I met her as an elder brother.'' ''We will come to know on June 4 how favourable the environment (for the BJP candidate) is in the (Beed) district. Rest we will speak once the candidate of the opposition is declared,'' he added.

Meanwhile, Pankaja Munde celebrated Holi festival with members of the Banjara community at Kauthali Tanda village in Beed on Sunday. ''The work I did from 2014-2019 (as minister in the then Maharashtra government) and the faith of people in me will be my issues in the election,'' she added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)