Gopinath Munde's first death anniversary: Tributes paid by family and BJP workers

MUMBAI: Tributes were paid to union minister Gopinath Munde on his first death anniversary today with his family and BJP workers remembering the leader's contribution to Maharashtra's development.

Munde's daughter Pankaja, who is Maharashtra's rural development minister, said the government has paid tributes to her father by announcing it will share 50 per cent cost of the Rs 2,826-crore 261 km Ahmednagar-Beed-Parli Vaijnath railway line.

"My heartfelt tributes to our beloved leader respected Gopinath Munde on his smruti din. We will walk on the path shown by him and fulfil his dreams," Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

"The railway project is a tribute him. It was dear to him and will now become a reality. The Centre has already given its consent. We have given the approval for our 50 percent share of funds for the project," he said.

Munde's nephew Dhananjay Munde, Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council, offered floral tributes to his uncle at a commemorative event here.

Mumbai BJP has announced a programme to plant 51,000 saplings in the city as a tribute to Munde.

Munde's followers thronged the commemorative event at his native place in Beed district to remember their leader.

Munde, a popular backward class leader from Maharashtra, died due to shock and haemorrhage following injuries to his neck and liver in a road accident in Delhi on June 3 last year.