Gadkari sees BJP wave in UP, Punjab and Uttrakhand

Uttar Pradesh is witnessing a four-cornered battle for supremacy in the forthcoming assembly elections and BJP is likely to emerge as the single largest party, claims BJP President Nitin Gadkari in a free-wheeling interview with News24 Editor-in-Chief, Ms. Anurradha Prasad for her weekly show ‘Aamne Samne’.

Despite the predictions of merchant of doom, the fitter and trimmer BJP President Nitin Gadkari claims that grim battle is going on in UP among BJP, SP, BSP and Congress. “ I am pretty sure that if we manage to garner close to 28 per cent votes there, our seats tally would be around 200. There is definite mood for us there after both Congress and SP started wooing Muslims in the name of reservation on the basis of religion,” Gadkari claims.

To be telecasted on both Saturday ( January 28) and Sunday (January 29) at 8.30 pm, the interview shows that a confident personified Gadkari is even smelling party’s triumphs even in Uttrakhand and Punjab. Some excerpts are given below.

‘Who would be your CM post elections as you are sure of your victory…?’

Rather than giving clear-cut answer, Gadkari was ambiguous in his reply and only said, “The elected party MLAs will elect their leader as our party is very democratic compare to others. Congress is run by Mother-son,SP is managed by father-son duo and BSP is a private limited venture.”

‘Why Sushma Swaraj is not campaigning at all…?’

“Well, she is not well, hence is campaigning. Otherwise, there is no reason for her absence from the scene,” Gadkari reveals.

‘Are you open to joining hands with BSP in order to form the government in UP as well as Uttrakhand ?’

The BJP leader made it clear that “ there is no way that we can join hands with BSP. Not only BSP, we will also keep distance with SP. Fact of the matter is that both BSP and SP are in hand-in-glow with the Congress. While both these parties support the Congress in Delhi, Congress led UPA government save their leaders from corruption charges,” Gadkari charges.

‘ Do you feel the entire tainted Babu Singh Khushwaha’s episode has created lot of bad blood in BJP as leaders like Advani and Sushma Swaraj did not approve his joining the party ?’

Looking little defensive, the ever combative Gadkari argues, “ While I believe in taking decisions after consultations with my colleagues, your some decisions back fire. You are nor right all the time. However, I take full responsibility in respect of Khushwaha’s episode. Moreover, he himself announced that his joining the BJP should remain suspended till he proves himself innocent in all the cases of corruption.”

Replying to another question, Gadkari said, “ While elections to five assembly polls are semi-final and the 2014 general elections would be final, BJP has several leaders, including Advani ji, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Narendra Modi with all the qualities for the post of PM.”

‘ Are you not a contender for the top post ?‘ “ Not at all. I am not in the race to become PM,” Gadkari concludes.