Mayur Mundhe rose to prominence in 2021 when he built a temple dedicated to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Pune's Aundh area.
A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker, Mundhe said he built the temple as a "mark of respect" for the PM. "I am a follower of PM Modi and I worship him… and take his blessings. The temple will also enable other followers to seek his blessings," he said.
Reportedly, the temple was built using red stone and marble brought from Jaipur. Toughened glass was installed for security purposes. The 6ft by 2.5ft by 7.5ft structure was built at a cost of ₹1.5 lakh.
The news of this temple reached the national leaders of the BJP, who then "called me up and asked me to remove the structure," Mundhe said.
Now, Mundhe is in the news again—this time for quitting the saffron party. In letters addressed to PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party national chief JP Nadda, and others, Mundhe announced his resignation and outlined the reasons behind his decision.
"I have been a loyal worker of the BJP. From Aundh ward chief to Shivajinagar Yuva Morcha vice president, I have worked diligently for the party. However, in recent times, loyalists are being ignored while outsiders are being given prominence," Mundhe wrote in his letter.
"The MLA here is appointing people according to his whims and is not focussed on growing the party. Loyalists are being sidelined, and outsiders are given posts. Former officeholders are insulted—they aren't invited to meetings, their opinions are not sought, and they are excluded from election campaigns. Additionally, funds are being allocated to those who have come from other parties," he added.
