Bal Thackeray was not a dictator, says Gadkari

Describing late Bal Thackeray as an "open-hearted" person, BJP President Nitin Gadkari said here that the Sena patriarch was not a "dictator" and always took decisions, which he felt were "reasonable".

"Balasaheb was an open hearted person. He never indulged in caste-based politics. Though some people portrayed him as a dictator, it was not the case. He would take decisions in accordance with the situation," Gadkari said at a programme here last evening.

The BJP leader was speaking at a function in suburban Dadar, where he along with Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray released MP Sanjay Raut's book "Yugant", a compilation of his articles written on the 86-year-old leader.

Gadkari said Thackeray took decisions which he felt were "right and reasonable".

"He was the only leader who thought on technical issues. Whenever we approached him with an issue, he would listen to us and co-operate on those he felt were right," he added.