Maharashtra BJP forms new executive, Pankaja to get ‘national’ role

Patil was appointed the state BJP president last July. The constitution of the new executive committee of the state unit was pending since then. “In the new body, there are 68 executive committee members, 12 vice-presidents, five general secretaries, 12 secretaries, one treasurer and one general secretary (organisation). Besides, there are 139 invitees and 58 special invitees,” Patil said. “Pankaja Munde will be given a party position at the national level soon. She will also be made part of the state BJP’s core committee,” he added.

The new general secretaries included former power minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule (denied ticket in the 2019 state polls), Shrikant Bharatiya (OSD in CMO during Devendra Fadnavis regime), Sujitsingh Thakur, Devyani Pharande and Ravindra Chavan. Vijay Puranik is the general secretary (organisation).

Pritam Munde, Beed MP and Pankaja’s younger sister, was appointed vice-president along with state BJP spokesman Madhav Bhandari. The others included former ministers Ram Shinde, Jaikumar Rawal and Sanjay Kute as well as Prasad Lad, Chitra Wagh and Bharati Pawar, who had left NCP to join BJP before the Assembly polls last year.

Two-time MP Raksha Khadse, daughter-in-law of party veteran Eknath Khadse, is one of the 12 secretaries. The party appointed MLA Mihir Kotecha as treasurer.

(With PTI inputs)