Talks with BJP leaders positive, will continue: Munde

Talks between Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Gadkari and sulking senior party leader Gopinath Munde remained inconclusive late on Sunday with both sides sticking to their stand over the appointment of their men in key posts in Maharashtra and hold over party politics in the state.

"I have been holding talks with our state in-charge M Venkaiah Naidu, Ananth Kumar and general secretary (organisation) Ramlal. Today, I met party president Nitin Gadkari, L K Advani and the others. I told them about all my thoughts. The talks were held and are continuing in a positive direction. This is all I have to say," Munde said.

He was talking to reporters after a marathon meeting with senior party leaders including Gadkari and Advani. A visibly unhappy Munde, BJP's prominent Other Backward Class face in Maharashtra, refused to speak further on the issue.

"He has kept his viewpoint in front of the leadership. We have discussed all the issues in a positive atmosphere. I am hopeful there will be a positive solution to all the issues," Naidu said.

Sources said while Gadkari wants to remove Munde's man Pandurang Phundkar and appoint Vinod Thawade in his place as Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council. Munde is not ready to concede this.

Munde, BJP's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, is unhappy with other appointments as well including that of Vikas Mathkari in place of his candidate Yogesh Gogawale to the post of BJP's Pune city chief.