The muscle flexing perhaps tired union minister Nitin Gadkari too much. And that is probably why he gave up the race to chief minister’s post.
The muscle flexing perhaps tired union minister Nitin Gadkari too much. And that is probably why he gave up the race to chief minister’s post.
It is now almost certain that party’s earlier (unspoken) choice Devendra Fadnavis will sit on the coveted chair.
Gadkari, on Diwali, announced that he was “happy in Delhi” and that he wasn’t in the race for the Maharashtra CM. He also cleared the air about his said differences with Fadnavis.
“We have no differences. My political guru is Devendra’s father Ganghadharrao Fadnavis who was an MLC while I was instrumental in bringing Devendra into politics,” Gadkari said after Fadnavis called on him at his residence in Mahal area on Thursday morning.
“I am happy in Delhi. Fadnavis is my colleague and came to meet me on Diwali,” he said.
It should be noted that almost 40 of the 44 Vidarbha MLAs had gone to Gadkari’s residence in Nagpur and wanted him to be the chief minister. Senior state leaders Sudhir Mungantiwar and Vinod Tawde were among the leaders who had voiced their support for Gadkari. Mungantiwar had also met Arun Jaitley.
The Indian Express quoted a BJP leader saying: “We have already identified three state BJP leaders who were instrumental in projecting Gadkari’s candidature to sabotage Fadnavis’s election to the top post. Both Amit Shah and Narendra Modi have been given a full report on the events in the state over the last 48 hours.”
It is being considered that Gadkari personally met Fadnavis and assured of his candidature. He is also believed to have categorically told Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah that he was very much comfortable in his role as a union transport minister and that he would like to remain in Delhi.
The state legislature party will meet on October 27 to finally elect the chief minister from among them.
