Gadkari opts out of M'rashtra CM race

Union minister Nitin Gadkari has laid to rest speculation about his next political move by ruling himself out of the chief minister’s race in Maharashtra.

Counting on Devender Phadnavis, Eknath Khadse and Vinod Tawade, the senior Maharastra leader wanted the BJP state unit leadership to offer a new face for the chief minister’s post if the BJP, which recently walked out of the 25-year-old relationship with the Shiv Sena, managed to come to power in the state.  After the death of Gopinath Munde, the BJP was left faceless in the Assembly polls.

Ruling out the possibility that he might become chief minister if the party wins the poll, Gadkari told a television news channel that there was a point of time in his career as a state minister when he wanted to stay on in Maharastra politics but now he wanted to continue at the Centre to fulfill in his present assignment as road and transport minister.  

The minister was also non-apologetic to the Election Commission seeking his explanation on his remarks endorsing bribes for votes. “I can see your faces and predict the future. I predict that you will see Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth) very soon. Don’t say no to Lakshmi. My only request is, eat whatever you want, drink whatever you want, because these are times when black money will go to the poor. Your vote should be for the development of Maharashtra,” Gadkari told an election rally in Latur on Sunday.

Gadkari was adamant that nothing he said violated any rules since by “Lakshmi” he did not mean bribe as it means cash in Hindi but he meant the Goddess Lakshmi.     “My comments are being distorted. I have said nothing wrong. There is no question of apologising. I told people don’t vote for money being offered to you, but vote for your future,” he commented.