Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated on Friday that Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's name will be first in the list of BJP candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He was responding to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray's offer of a ticket to Gadkari for contesting the polls.
Thackeray had pointed out that Gadkari's name was not in the first list of candidates released by the BJP recently. He made it appear as if the BJP's central leadership was unhappy with Gadkari and hence had dropped his name. He made the offer while addressing a public meeting at Dharashiv. If you don't receive any respect in the BJP you must leave it. We will offer you a ticket from MVA and make sure of your win. Show the BJP the strength of Maharashtra which has never bowed down before the Delhi government, Thackeray had said.
However, BJP sources said the party's first list did not cover Maharashtra, where the seat-sharing talks are still going on with the Shiv Sena and NCP, and hence Gadkari's name did not figure in the list.
Fadnavis said there was no way Gadkari, who is a very senior leader and ex-national president, would be deprived of a ticket. He expressed surprise that a weak party like the Shiv Sena (UBT) was offering a ticket to Gadkari. This is like a man from the street offering someone the US president's post, he added.
Gadkari's Name Missed In BJP's First List Of Candidates
Recently, the BJP national election committee declared the names of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections but Gadkari's was not there. The issue was a hot topic in the media and political circle. Opposition parties like the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (Sharad Pawar) also commented on the issue.
Sudhir Munguntiwar, BJP leader and forest minister also reacted to Thackeray's offer to Gadkari. I suggest that Uddhav join the BJP and we will ensure his win. Uddhav wants to create confusion among BJP members. Gadkari is a national treasure and every party praises him, Mungantiwar added.-
