It’s not a fight between BJP parliamentary party chairman L.K. Advani and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi over the BJP’s PM slot anymore. BJP chief Nitin Gadkari has also put senior leaders Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj in the race.
In an exclusive interview to this newspaper, Mr Gadkari, replying to a question on the BJP’s PM candidate for the 2014 general polls, said, “We have many able candidates for the PM’s posts. These include Advaniji, Narendra Modi, Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj.” He said that unlike other political outfits, primarily the Congress where “dynastic politics” is followed, in BJP decisions are taken collectively. “Any decision in this regard (PM candidate) will be taken at an appropriate time, said Mr Gadkari.
On the issue of the BJP’s candidate for chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mr Gadkari remained evasive. After saffron sanyasin Uma Bharti’s name was announced recently as the BJP candidate from UP’s Charkhari Assembly seat, speculation is rife that she is also among the contenders for BJP candidate for CM. Mr Gadkari had recently said former party chief Rajnath Singh, party UP unit chief Surya Pratap Shahi, Ms Bharti and Rajya Sabha member Kalraj Mishra are the important leaders in the state. When asked whether Mr Mishra, who is also heading the BJP’s election management committee in poll-bound UP, could be the CM candidate, Mr Gadkari said, “I have never said no to Kalraj Mishra being the possible chief ministerial candidate. But it’s a collective decision. Our MLAs will decide their candidate.” Rubbishing the Opposition attack that Ms Bharti, a former Madhya Pradesh CM, is an “outsider”, Mr Gadkari said Ms Bharti is an important leader of the party. Ms Bharti is also one of the BJP’s star campaigners.
About the Assembly polls in five states, including UP, Uttarakhand and Punjab, Mr Gadkari said his party is hopeful of improving its numbers.
He also criticised the Congress-led UPA for not acting against corruption and failing to bring down prices of essential commodities.