Mumbai, March 22 Interacting with the party workers of her constituency for the first time after being named the BJP candidate for the Beed Lok Sabha seat in Maharashtra, Pankaja Munde claimed on Friday that her victory is assured as the "supreme leader of the country has decided her candidature".
"The supreme leader of the country has decided my candidature. I have been nominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and my ticket was not fixed by the state unit (of the BJP)," Munde said, as she sought the blessings of the party workers for her victory.
Munde also told the party workers that she was not so keen to contest the Lok Sabha elections, as she wanted to work in the state.
"My sister fought and won the previous Lok Sabha elections. People of the entire state love me, not just those in Beed district. Today, they are watching me on TV. I decided to enter the poll fray following my wisdom," she said.
Munde also expressed displeasure over her rivals raising her caste (she belongs to the politically important Vanjari community).
"Why are some people referring to my caste? I have worked for every section of society, and I am going to seek votes based on the work I've done," she said.
Referring to the ongoing Maratha-OBC reservation row in the state, Munde admitted that the outcry of the Maratha 'brothers' is indeed important.
"Maybe this issue will be resolved with my intervention," she said.
Munde, who is the daughter of BJP veteran and former Union Minister Gopinath Munde, had lost to her cousin and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Parli.
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