Mumbai: After he failed to reserve a Rajya Sabha berth for late BJP leader Pramod Mahajans widow Rekha, party general secretary Gopinath Munde is now lobbying for her daughter Poonam.
In an interview with an agency in New Delhi on Thursday, Munde said, "Poonam Mahajan is likely to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha election from south Mumbai constituency against Milind Deora of Congress."
He added that the final call on her candidature would be taken by the party, but he was "speaking his mind". He ruled out chances of Mahajans son Rahul entering politics.
Mundes statement was believed to be significant as it came just a day after the meeting of the BJP parliamentary committee. Sources in BJP said that the statement was an effort to create a debate over Poonams candidature from south Mumbai.
"When Munde rebelled against Nitin Gadkari, the party leadership had solved the issue by asserting that Munde would be the election in-charge of the party in Maharashtra. Now, as he has openly spoken about his choice from south Mumbai, there is little chance of him facing opposition within the party," a source said.
DNA, in December last year, had reported that Poonam was interested in contesting the Lok Sabha election from south Mumbai and was trying to get support from prominent personalities in the constituency.
She said on Thursday, "I am busy in a meeting in Rajasthan and not aware what Mundeji has said. I am a disciplined worker of the party and follow instructions."
Jaywantiben Mehta, BJPs former MP from south Mumbai, said, "I never said that I will not contest the Lok Sabha polls. But it is for the party to choose its candidate. If it wants Poonam to contest from south Mumbai, she will be our candidate."
The south Mumbai Lok Sabha constituency has elected its representative alternatively from BJP and the Congress. Union petroleum minister Murali Deora and Jaywantiben Mehta have represented the constituency. In the last election, Deoras son Milind contested against Mehta, who was then MP, and secured victory. Source : DNA
