Taking the responsibility of BJP's poor performance in the local body polls in Beed district, Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde today offered to quit the Devendra Fadnavis-led government.
Beed is the Assembly constituency of Munde who is also the Guardian Minister for the district.
However, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attempted to downplay the issue saying winning or losing is part of electoral politics.
“It happens in elections that we lose or win,” Fadnavis said.
Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Raosaheb Danve also sought to downplay the issue.
"I had a word with Pankaja Munde. Victory never went into our head and we never got depressed with defeat. We will decide about her stand (resignation)," Danve said.
"I personally do not find a valid reason behind her decision to put in papers. I feel people's issues will not be solved by her resignation," he told PTI.
"She is a senior leader and part of our core team. She is upset with Zilla Parishad results and we will try to find amicable solutions to her worries," he said.
The BJP leader also dismissed reports of infighting in the party.
"There is no infighting in BJP. We are all working together. Her resignation has nothing to do with BJP and her disappointment with BJP. I have already said BJP would be the number one party (in the state)," he said.
The BJP made decisive gains in civic polls in Maharashtra with a historic performance in the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
In the BMC polls, results of which were declared today, although the Shiv Sena has emerged as the single largest party, winning 84 seats, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has made huge gains with bagging 80 out of 225 seats.
Apart from an inspiring victory in BMC, the BJP has also made decisive gains in other civic bodies of the state. It has successfully retained power in at least six civic bodies — Pune, Nashik, Ulhasnagar, Akola, Nagpur and Amravati out of the 10 corporations, results of which were declared today.
Fadnavis credited BJP's "huge victory" to its agenda of transparency.
