Gadkari rubbishes reports of conflict of interest

Union Shipping and Transport Minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari, who has been embroiled in a controversy over alleged favours from the Essar Group, vehemently denied any wrongdoing or conflict of interest on Friday.

Gadkari, who was in Mumbai, told reporters that he had visited the yacht while he was on way to Norway for a family holiday. “I wish to clarify that then I was not an MLA, not an MP, not a minister or for that matter the BJP president,” he said ruling out any wrongdoing or conflict of interest.

He said he was in Frankfurt when the invite to visit the yacht came. “I love to meet people, I have been to the (newspaper group’s) penthouse...but I want to clarify that there was not ticket, boarding, lodging, food etc…all expenses were from family account,” he said.

“I love new things…I saw seaplanes, water bus, very soon in Mumbai we would have water bus,” he said. When asked whom the private chopper belonged to, he admitted that it was of the Ruias.