Gopinath Munde

Gopinathrao Munde
Minister of Rural Development
In office 26 May 2014 – 3 June 2014
Prime Minister	Narendra Modi
Preceded by	Jairam Ramesh
Succeeded by	Nitin Jairam Gadkari
Minister of Panchayati Raj
In office 26 May 2014 – 3 June 2014
Prime Minister	Narendra Modi
Preceded by	Kishore Chandra Deo
Succeeded by	Nitin Gadkari
Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation
In office 26 May 2014 – 3 June 2014
Prime Minister	Narendra Modi
Preceded by	Bharatsinh Madhavsinh Solanki
Succeeded by	Nitin Gadkari
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office 16 May 2009 – 3 June 2014
Preceded by	Jaisingrao Gaikwad Patil
Succeeded by	Pritam Munde
Constituency	Beed
Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra
In office 14 March 1995 – 18 October 1999
Department	Home Affairs
Chief Minister	Manohar Joshi Narayan Rane
Preceded by	Ramrao Adik
Succeeded by	Chhagan Bhujbal
Leader of Opposition Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
In office 12 December 1991 – 14 March 1995
Chief Minister	Sudhakarrao Naik Sharad Pawar
Preceded by	Manohar Joshi
Succeeded by	Madhukarrao Pichad
Member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
In office 1990–2009
Preceded by	Panditrao Daund
Succeeded by	Constituency Abolished
Constituency	Renapur
In office 1980–1985
Preceded by	Raghunath Munde
Succeeded by	Panditrao Daund
Constituency	Renapur
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha
In office 22 December 2009 – 20 May 2014
Prime Minister	Manmohan Singh
Leader of the Opposition	Sushma Swaraj
Preceded by	Sushma Swaraj
Succeeded by	Akhilesh Yadav, (2024)
Personal details
Born	(1949-12-12)12 December 1949 Parli, Hyderabad State, India (now in Maharashtra, India)
Died	3 June 2014(2014-06-03) (aged 64) New Delhi, India
Political party	Bhartiya Janata Party
Spouse	Pradnya Mahajan ​ (m. 1978)​
Relations	Pramod Mahajan (brother-in-law)
Children	Pankaja Munde Pritam Munde Yashashri Munde
Website	www.gopinathraomunde.com
Source: [2]

Gopinath Pandurang Munde (12 December 1949 – 3 June 2014) was an Indian politician from Maharashtra, often called a Lokneta, meaning a people's leader. He was a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and served as the Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj in Narendra Modi's Cabinet. Munde was well-known for his efforts in curbing the underworld in Mumbai during his tenure as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, overseeing the Home Ministry from 1995 to 1999. He was a key figure in introducing the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), later ratified by the Supreme Court of India.

Early life and education

Gopinath Pandurang Munde was born on 12 December 1949 in Parali, Maharashtra, into a middle-class Vanjari farmer's family. His parents were Pandurang and Limbabai 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 Parli. He frequently visited the Arya Samaj Mandir to read newspapers and 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 of sorts, ensuring victory of members of his group though he did not win an election even once during those four memorable years.

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.

Vidhan Sabha

Munde first contested the Vidhan Sabha elections in 1978 from the Parli 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 (2009–2014), representing the Beed constituency. To secure his position, he defeated the NCP candidate, Rameshrao Baburao Kokate (Adaskar). 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. Tragically, just days after assuming office, Munde was involved in a fatal car accident, leading to his untimely demise. His death was a significant loss to both his party and the nation, as he was widely regarded as a dedicated leader committed to the welfare of the people.

Personal life

Gopinath Munde's parents, Pandurangrao 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.

During his college days at Ambajogai, Munde met Pradnya, who would later become his wife. Pradnya, a graduate, chose to be a homemaker. Her elder brother, Pramod Mahajan, was a prominent political figure and served as Union Cabinet Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

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

Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays homage to his colleague Munde.

As per media reports, Munde met with 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 taking the post. The accident took place between Safdarjung Road and Prithviraj Road, New Delhi where his car was hit by a speeding cab. He was immediately rushed to the AIIMS hospital 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 According to the preliminary post mortem report, his liver ruptured due to the accident leading to cardiac arrest.

His funeral was held at 2pm on 4 June 2014 at his native place Parali Vaijenath near Beed. Pankaja Munde, Gopinath Munde's daughter performed the last rites to her father.

The accident as a reason behind his death was questioned and raised speculations in media when on 21 Jan 2019 a US hacker claimed that Munde was murdered. Followed after this claim a statement was issued by Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, saying Munde's death was caused by neck injury when in the post mortem report it was mentioned that he died because of liver rupture.

References

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Bhujbal-Munde-pitch-for-OBC-census/article16365507.ece