Gadkari among BJP poll campaigners in Gujarat

Putting at rest controversies regarding its list of central leaders who will campaign in Gujarat assembly polls, BJP today said its chief Nitin Gadkari, senior leaders L K Advani, Shahnawaz Hussain and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi will be among its key faces in the electioneering.

BJP central leadership will descend on the poll-bound state on December 1 and 2 and participate in various election rallies. Gadkari, who reportedly does not enjoy good equations with Chief Minister Narendra Modi, too will campaign for the party.

Gadkari had bought peace with Modi during the BJP conclave in Mumbai earlier this year by asking the Chief Minister's bete noire Sanjay Joshi to keep away from the National Executive Meet. Gadkari had brought Joshi back into the party-fold much against the wishes of Modi.

But relations between the two were reportedly strained again when the allegations of dubious funding of Gadkari's Purti Group came out in the open. BJP MP and eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani, who is considered close to Modi and is also assisting in the 2002 riots court cases against the CM, has demanded Gadkari's resignation.