India, Feb. 11 -- "The number of people who loved my late father, Gopinath Munde, were so many that they could form a political party of their own." These words of BJP leader and environment minister Pankaja Munde at a function in Nashik on Sunday promptly stirred up speculation in the political grapevine: that Munde was on the verge of parting ways with the BJP and forming a separate party. However, she rubbished the rumours on Monday.

While speaking at the function, Munde had said that the people associated with her father similarly loved her. "Munde Saheb had a treasury of virtues and people followed his legacy," she said. "He nurtured a party called the BJP and made it the party it is today. He worked for the party since its inceptio...