Miffed Mungantiwar slams party MLA for letter ahead of hospital inauguration by RSS chief

Chandrapur, Dec 22 (PTI) Maharashtra BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar on Monday said an MLA from his own party had written a letter to stop the inauguration of a cancer hospital in Chandrapur at the hands of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat.

He was referring to a letter written by Chandrapur MLA Kishor Jorgewar to the district collector raising questions on the hospital being inaugurated despite a question mark on vital aspects like essential services, water supply and manpower at the facility.

Mungantiwar said he had taken prior permission from the State Election Commission for the inauguration of the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Cancer Hospital at the hands Bhagwat during the day.

"I took all efforts to establish the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Cancer Hospital at Chandrapur to provide service to the needy. Late Ratan Tata had made a wish that the hospital be inaugurated by RSS 'sarsanghchalak' Mohan Bhagwat," Mungantiwar told reporters.

The 140-bed hospital has been built in collaboration with the Tata Trust and the state government at a cost of Rs 280 crore.

Without naming Jorgewar, he said the "local MLA who had been welcomed (into the party) by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis" sent a letter to stop the programme.

Jorgewar had won the 2019 assembly polls from Chandrapur as an independent candidate, before repeating the feat in 2024 on a BJP ticket. He has also been associated with the Shiv Sena previously.

The Pandit Deendayal Cancer Hospital was inaugurated on Monday by Bhagwat, who, on the occasion, said affordable education and healthcare are the needs of every individual, and must be decentralised.

"Cancer patients and families require emotional strength and support. We have to ensure facilities like this cancer hospital function effectively," Bhagwat said.

Mungantiwar is miffed since the results of local body polls were announced on Sunday, as the BJP, despite a stellar performance across the state, faced reverses in Chandrapur, mostly at the hands of the Congress.

On Sunday, Mungantiwar, who represents Ballarpur assembly segment in Chandrapur district, blamed factionalism for the BJP's defeat and questioned the party's policy of admitting turncoats.

In a dig at the BJP, Mungantiwar had referred to the famous Shani Shingnapur town, where houses have no doors, to criticise the party's policy to admit turncoats.

"The BJP is the only party without doors, and anyone can come in,” he had said.

In a statement on Monday, the Congress said it had performed best in Chandrapur where the party won president posts in eight municipal councils and 129 councillors were elected. PTI COR BNM