Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 | Nobody should take Rahul Gandhi seriously: Nitin Gadkari

Nagpur: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said that nobody should take Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seriously, and asserted that people of Maharashtra will repose trust in the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in the November 20 state assembly elections.

“The way Rahul Gandhi speaks, nobody takes him seriously.. I think people should not take his remarks seriously,” Gadkari said in an interview to PTI.

On Gandhi’s allegations about PM Modi "suffering from memory loss like US President Joe Biden", Gadkari said the Congress leader speaks irresponsibly.

Asked about the challenges faced by the Mahayuti alliance after a dismal show during the Lok Sabha elections, Gadkari said, voters were confused (by the opposition) on a large scale during the Lok Sabha polls.

“A narrative was created that if we win 400-plus seats, we will amend the Constitution drafted by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar,” the senior BJP leader said.

“There is no question of changing the Constitution. We will neither do it, nor allow others to do it,” Gadkari said.

“Now people have realized that the campaign by the opposition during Lok Sabha polls was based on lies and they have decided to support with positivity the Mahayuti in Maharashtra under PM Modi’s leadership,” Gadkari said.

On BJP talking of development politics, but its leader raising raising slogans like 'batenge toh katenge', Gadkari said, “We are contesting the elections on the plank of development. We are all one. Some go to temple, some to mosque, gurdwara and church. But we are all Bharatiya and the country is above everything else for us,” he said.

On Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar voicing his opposition to Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath's 'batenge toh katenge' remark, indicating a growing rift within the Mahayuti, Gadkari said, “First of all, we are different parties and it is not necessary that we share the same opinion.” “Media also distorts what is said. This creates misconception. The call for unity was to unite against terrorism and Naxalism,” he said.

Asked about Rahul Gandhi raising the issue of caste census, Gadkari said, “The real issue is about the welfare of villages, the poor and farmers. The poor have no caste and religion. A Muslim gets petrol at the same rate as others.

Asked if would like to become the BJP president, Gadkari said, “I have been the BJP president earlier and don’t have any desire for that post now.”

Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. The Haryana election resulted in a shock loss for Congress, which was looking to galvanize on the Lok Sabha poll performance, while J&K also saw the grand old party eventually stepping away from the cabinet, with Omar Abdullah's JKNC forming government. It remains to be seen if the upcoming polls help BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

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