BJP leader Pankaja Munde was seen weeping at a condolence meeting for four party workers who allegedly died by suicide following her defeat in the recent Lok Sabha election.
"Don't give up on life," the BJP leader urged her supporters on Sunday, as she met with the family members of the workers.
"My workers are important to me. Please don't take such a step, don't leave your children and family," she pleaded.
Pankaja Munde was seen weeping copiously at the meeting yesterday at the home of Popatrao Vaibhase, one of the activists who died by suicide. In photos shared on X, she was seen consoling Vaibhase's family.
"Popatrao was an active worker who devoted himself to every task. Actually, a fighter. But, to leave his family by taking such an extreme decision will weaken me," she wrote in a post in Marathi. The others who died were Sachin Munde, Pandurang Sonawane and Ganesh Bade.
"I will continue to share the burden of their grief," she said, adding she would be "taking all the responsibility of their innocent children and families".
"But this responsibility is painful for me," said the former Maharashtra minister, who lost the Beed Lok Sabha seat to Bajrang Sonawane of NCP (Sharad Pawar).
"We are certainly not weak enough to be depressed by a defeat, but this pain is unbearable for me. Don't give up on your life. If you want a leader who fights with courage, I also want a worker who fights with courage. I don't want to lose my people. I don't get discouraged by defeat but such incidents shake me. I am very upset today."
Ms Munde also met with the family of Ganesh Bade.
In the Lok Sabha polls, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) won 30 of 48 seats. The BJP won nine seats, a sharp drop from the 23 it won in the 2019 election in the state. Its ally Shiv Sena won seven seats.
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