Gopinath Munde
Gopinathrao Pandurang Munde known as "Loknete Munde Saheb" was an Indian politician and statesman from the state of Maharashtra. He was the strongest mass-leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party known for his charismatic personality and the ability to deliver heartfelt speeches to connect with the audience.
He held multiple important roles simultaneously as the Union Minister for Rural Development, Drinking Water & Sanitation and Panchayati Raj in Narendra Modi's cabinet until his death.
Munde and his brother-in-law Pramod Mahajan have always been credited for building BJP into a force to be reckoned within the state, where INC & NCP were in power. Gopinath Munde's untimely death created a power vacuum in Maharashtra for the BJP government; for he was the seniormost BJP stalwart who was next in line to become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra; perhaps the only CM candidate at that time. He was the key mediator in creating the BJP - Shiv Sena alliance; while also being the one who united the OBC's of Maharashtra to vote for the alliance.
Munde was well-known for his efforts in curbing the underworld in Mumbai during his tenure as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, overseeing the Ministry of Home Affairs from 1995 to 1999. He was a key figure in introducing the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, later ratified by the Supreme Court of India.
Early life and education
Gopinath Pandurang Munde was born on 12 December 1949 in Parali, Maharashtra, in a middle-class Vanjari farmer's family. His parents were Pandurang Rao and Limba Bai Munde.Munde's primary education took place in his village 'Nathra' in Beed District, where classes were held under the shade of a tree due to the absence of a school building. He continued his secondary education at the Zilla Parishad School in the tehsil town of Parali. He frequently visited the Arya Samaj Mandir to read newspapers, books and listen to discourses by wise men.
Munde pursued a Bachelor of Commerce degree at a college in Ambejogai. Despite his lack of a political background, he emerged as a key figure in the student movement during his college years. His influence was instrumental in the success of his peers in elections. He became a 'Kingmaker
He also studied law for 2 years in ILS Law College in Pune; he graduated with a 'Bachelor of General Law' degree in the year 1976. His longtime close friend and colleague Vilasrao Deshmukh also studied in the same college.
Munde was a Swayamsevak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and was actively involved in RSS affairs of the Maharashtra state. He was also the leader of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.
Political career
Work against underworld
During his tenure as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Gopinath Munde played a pivotal role in combating gang wars and the underworld. After the 1993 Mumbai attacks, Munde assumed responsibility for the Home Ministry in Maharashtra and launched an aggressive campaign against underworld dons and their networks. His efforts were instrumental in curbing the influence of organized crime in Mumbai during that period, earning him widespread recognition and respect for his decisive actions against criminal elements.Energy Minister
Gopinath Munde also held the Energy Ministry during his tenure as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. In that role, he fronted the state’s showdown with Enron’s Dabhol Power Project—halting the costly contract within months of taking office and driving the company to renegotiate its tariff at lower rates later the same year. He also intervened in domestic pricing, stopping a proposed Tata Electric tariff hike for Mumbai consumers in September 1996.Vidhan Sabha
Munde first contested the Vidhan Sabha elections in 1978 from the Parali constituency but was unsuccessful. However, in 1980, he was elected to the Vidhan Sabha from Renapur as a BJP candidate, marking the beginning of his legislative career. He retained his seat in subsequent elections in 1995, 1999, and 2004. From 12 December 1991 to 14 March 1995, Munde served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha, where he was known for his strong and articulate advocacy for the opposition's stance on various issues. His leadership qualities were further recognized when he was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra on 14 March 1995 under the Manohar Joshi led government.Lok Sabha
Munde transitioned to national politics and was elected as a member of the 15th Lok Sabha, representing the Beed constituency. To secure his position, he defeated the NCP candidate, Rameshrao Baburao Kokate. In the 2014 general elections, Munde once again won the Beed constituency, this time by a significant margin of 140,000 votes. Following this victory, on 26 May 2014, he was appointed Minister of Rural Development in the cabinet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Days after assuming office, Munde died in a car accident.Personal life
Gopinath Munde's parents, Pandurang Rao and Limbabai, faced numerous challenges but were determined to provide him with a good education. After his father's death in 1969, his brothers took on the responsibility of supporting his education. Munde was the third child in his family. He is a political figure belonging to the dominant Vanjari community and has held significant roles in Bharatiya Janata Party.During his college days at Ambajogai, Munde met Pradnya, who would later become his wife. Pradnya, a graduate, chose to be a homemaker. His brother in-law, Pramod Mahajan, was a well-known politician and served as Union Cabinet Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. They lived in the same apartment building next to each other in Worli until the tragic murder of Pramod Mahajan.
Munde and Pradnya had three daughters: Pankaja, Pritam, and Yashashree. Pankaja Munde, the eldest, served as a cabinet minister in the Maharashtra Government from 2014 to 2019. Pritam Munde, their second daughter, became a member of the Lok Sabha in 2014, winning the seat left vacant by her father's sudden and tragic death.
Death
Munde was in a road accident in the early morning of 3 June 2014, while on his way to Delhi Airport. He was going for his first official meeting after assuming official posts. The accident took place between Safdarjung Road and Prithviraj Road, New Delhi where his car was hit by a speeding cab. He was rushed to AIIMS Delhi but later went into cardiac arrest. He was administered CPR but could not be resuscitated and was declared dead at 7:20 a.m.Munde suffered cervical fractures due to which supply of oxygen to his brain was cut off. Further, his liver was ruptured due to impact of accident, leading to cardiac arrest.
His funeral was held at 2pm on 4 June 2014 at his native place Parali Vaijnath near Beed. Pankaja, Munde's eldest daughter performed the last rites of her father.
On 21 January 2019, a self-styled cyber expert seeking political asylum in the United States claimed at a London event, without providing evidence, that Munde was murdered because of his alleged knowledge of election rigging in the 2014 Indian general election. The Bharatiya Janata Party rejected the claim, alleging Indian National Congress involvement and citing the presence of its leader Kapil Sibal at the event. The Election Commission of India released a statement, calling the event a "motivated slugfest".