In a political move aimed at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena (UBT) President and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has extended a fresh offer of a Lok Sabha seat to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, sparking a verbal duel between the two rival parties.
Addressing gatherings at public events, Thackeray emphasized the absence of senior leader Gadkari, a two-time MP from Nagpur, from the BJP's initial list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
"Don't succumb to pressure from Delhi... Leave the BJP and join the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Demonstrate your value. We will ensure your victory in Parliament," Thackeray asserted.
Thackeray has repeatedly highlighted Gadkari's omission from the BJP's first candidate list, contrasting it with the inclusion of former Congressman Kripashankar Singh, embroiled in controversy, for the Jaunpur seat in Uttar Pradesh.
"I have closely collaborated with Gadkari. He expedited Balasaheb Thackeray's vision, the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, over 20 years ago. Despite his seniority and loyalty to the BJP, his name was absent from the initial list. My association with him predates that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah," Thackeray remarked.
Previously, State Congress President Nana Patole and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Supriya Sule had urged Gadkari to explore alternatives when he felt sidelined by the BJP. Another Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, Kishore Tiwari, even touted him as 'prime ministerial material'.
In response, Deputy Chief Minister of the BJP, Devendra Fadnavis, dismissed Thackeray's overture, likening it to a futile attempt considering the disarray within his party. He quipped, "This offer to Gadkari is like someone on the street inviting another to become the President of the United States!"
"Gadkari Sir is a towering national figure... His absence from the first list was due to ongoing seat-sharing discussions within the MahaYuti. However, he will feature in the subsequent list," Fadnavis assured.
Sudhir Mungantiwar, a BJP Minister in the MahaYuti alliance, countered Thackeray's proposal by inviting Gadkari back to the BJP fold. "I challenge you: return to the BJP, we will secure your victory and offer you a respectable position. Shed your arrogance and join us," Mungantiwar urged Thackeray, reminding him of Gadkari's pledge to remain with the BJP even in adversity.
Mungantiwar cautioned Thackeray against sowing confusion with such statements, especially considering Gadkari's status as a nationally esteemed figure admired by all parties.
Gadkari, 66, has been the longest-serving Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways since 2014. He is credited with transforming the country's surface transport sector, extending its reach to remote corners, a feat initiated during his tenure as Public Works Department Minister in Maharashtra (1995-1999).
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