Panaji: Senior BJP leader from Maharashtra Gopinath Munde today ruled out joining Congress but hinted at his eagerness to fill the political space created by the demise of Congress heavyweight Vilasrao Deshmukh.
"The discussion about I am joining Congress is an off-shoot of a debate on the need to have a leader like Vilasrao Deshmukh for Maharashtra. A lot has gone into writing about it. Basically, in the writings they have said that I am the one who is of the stature of Deshmukh," he said.
"Maharashtra does need a leader like me. But it not for Congress but for my party to decide about it," the deputy Leader of BJP in Lok Sabha said.
On speculations over switching loyalties to Congress, Munde said, "A lot has been written about I am joining Congress or that party's offer to me as being a one sided love. It is indeed a one sided love though Congress has officially not given me any offer".
PTI
First Published: Saturday, September 01, 2012, 21:49