BJP's Gopinath Munde to explain eight-crore remark in a week to tax officials

Mumbai: Senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde who is already facing an Election Commission show-cause notice, had more trouble coming his way. The Income Tax department has issued a notice seeking his explanation within a week.

"We have served a notice to Munde", confirmed an IT official today.

He said that the department has sought explanation from Mr Munde on his claims that he had spent Rs 8 crore while campaigning for the Lok Sabha election he had contested from Beed constituency in 2009.

Mr Munde had made the remark at a book release function, also attended by Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, held in Mumbai on June 27.

Taking cognisance of Mr Munde's claims, the Election Commission had slapped a show-cause notice on the BJP's deputy leader in Lok Sabha.

"I spent Rs 29,000 when I contested my first Assembly poll in 1980 but spent Rs 8 crore in my last (2009 Lok Sabha) election", Mr Munde had said.

Mr Munde is out of Mumbai and was unavailable for comment. But sources close to him alleged, "This is a conspiracy hatched by the Pawars. NCP wants to target Munde as he is a mass leader and the party perceives him as a threat. Asking Munde's nephew Dhananjay to quit as BJP MLC yesterday is part of the process"