Rivals endorsed him, will his own follow suit?

Nitin Gadkari, Union minister and senior BJP leader. File pic

Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari made a stunning revelation while addressing ‘Anil Kumar Journalism Awards' in Nagpur on Saturday. While asking journalists to maintain a high level of conviction and pass on the commitment to future generations, he gave a personal example to re-establish his loyalty to his convictions and the party. He revealed that the Opposition had offered him support for the prime minister's post ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Gadkari said a senior Opposition leader had made an offer, but he declined, and questioned the leader why should the Opposition support him, and why should he accept it.

Gadkari is known for speaking in a lighter vein, but this revelation needs to be taken on a serious note because his name has been in circulation for the PM post whenever political pundits foresaw a possibility of the BJP having a coalition government. The 2019 elections proved both experts and the Opposition wrong when the BJP surpassed its 2014 numbers. Five years later in 2024, the party showed a decline, affirming predictions that it would need partners to run the third consecutive term. Gadkari's name had popped up again. When asked whether he was in the race, he said he was not interested in the top post. He reiterated it on Saturday but left many questions unanswered.

Meanwhile, guesswork is on to identify the Opposition leader, from among many who Gadkari shares a cordial bond with. The three-term Nagpur MP is not a persona non grata for the Opposition. He has shared public space with opponents of the BJP, and he continues to do so whenever invited by third-party organisers. At times, the Opposition admires his personal nature and the infra work he has achieved as the minister in charge of important union ministries. Gadkari has his backers and admirers within the BJP and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). It is to be seen whether his core support group plays it right when the situation becomes ripe to project Gadkari, who is now 67, for the top post.

As some call the revelation Gadkari's ‘indirectly expressed' desire to be a PM, some say it should also be seen as a counter to the party high command's move to drag him back into Maharashtra politics ahead of the Assembly elections, despite his reluctance to play a major and longer role, if need be, at the state level. Ever since BJP assumed power in Delhi and Mumbai, Gadkari had his share of friction with the Central and state leaderships, but he ensured that his influence worked to safeguard his affiliates and supporters. He was a minister of Maharashtra and Opposition leader in the Upper House before being appointed as the party's national president. When he was denied a second term in the party chief's office, and replaced with Rajnath Singh, an RSS ideologue, M G Vaidya, had blamed it on ‘internal political conspiracy', a charge that was denied by the party. Since then, Gadkari has stayed firmly rooted in New Delhi, earning the reputation of a contender for the post higher than the one he has been holding in the past ten years.

Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore

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