Top brass in damage-control mode

MUMBAI: BJP���s state and central units launched a massive damage-control drive on Monday with the twin objectives of persuading Gopinath Munde to withdraw his resignation and to minimise, if not undo, the damage caused by his powerful rebellion.

Mr Munde got a shot in the arm as all 66 legislators of the BJP from both the Houses of state legislature unanimously passed a resolution at a legislative party meeting reposing faith in Mr Munde���s leadership. Party legislator from Chandrapur Sudhir Mungantiwar moved the resolution and legislative party leader Eknath Khadse seconded it.

���We have affirmed faith in Mr Munde���s leadership and all legislators want a positive way out of this crisis which is Mr Munde taking back his resignation and leading the party,��� said MLC Vinod Tawde after the meeting. Interestingly, Mr Tawde���s recent rise as a popular BJP politician is largely perceived to be one of the reasons behind Mr Munde���s rebellion.

Immediately after the meeting, Mr Khadse and leader of the opposition in the legislative council Pandurang Phundkar left for Delhi to represent Mr Munde before the central leadership. State BJP chief Nitin Gadkari is already in Delhi.

Soon after the legislative party meeting, the state BJP also issued a statement in support of Mr Munde and described him as the topmost leader who enjoyed unquestionable support from the party rank and file. A statement released by state BJP vice-president Haribhau Bagde acknowledges the ���lion���s share��� Mr Munde has had in building the BJP in Maharashtra and affirms confidence in the central leadership���s ability to find an ���honourable solution��� over this ���crisis���.

The party statement also indirectly refers to a spate of party corporators and functionaries making an offer to resign their posts in support of Munde and asking them to exercise patience till the central leadership resolves the crisis.

Meanwhile, Mr Munde continued to exert pressure on the party leadership for an early and honourable settlement by reiterating his stand. ���I have no personal issues. All I am saying is that the party be run democratically and not by a coterie of few persons,��� Mr Munde said. He announced that he would embark upon a ���Samvad Yatra��� on April 26 from Pune to strike a dialogue with BJP workers across the state on his stand.

BJP sources and politicians from other parties also gave ample indications that the crisis caused by Mr Munde���s resignation would be solved. ���There is no chance of the central leadership accepting Mr Munde���s resignation. He is our undisputed leader and the party leadership will definitely persuade him to take back his resignation,��� said BJP legislator from Nagpur Devendra Fadnavis.

Veteran NCP leader, powerful OBC leader, and PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who enjoys a good rapport with Mr Munde, said a patch-up would be worked out by the BJP. ���They can���t afford to lose him,��� Mr Bhujbal said. But the NCP leader added that the stand taken by Mr Munde once again demonstrated that the BJP did not treat its OBC leaders with dignity and due respect.