Dramatic turn of events marks end of his tenure, despite RSS support
In a dramatic turn of events, hours after income tax raids on firms connected to Nitin Gadkari, senior leaders of the party forced the beleaguered BJP president to call it quits and chose, by consensus, to back the candidature of the former president, Rajnath Singh, for the top job.
Mr. Gadkari, who was away from the national capital, issued a statement on his return here, announcing his decision not to seek a second term. The election process would commence at 10 p.m. Wednesday. Mr. Singh, a veteran Rajput leader from Uttar Pradesh, will be declared elected as he is the sole candidate.
Referring to the controversy triggered by charges of irregularities in a firm owned by him, Mr. Gadkari said he did not want it to adversely affect the party’s interest. “I have committed no wrong or any impropriety either directly or indirectly. Yet the UPA government has been making an effort to spread disinformation about me in order to hurt me and my party. I have always said that I am willing for any independent inquiry. I shall fight these efforts of this government both politically and legally.”
The consensus on Mr. Singh’s candidature was arrived at a meeting convened by Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, at which his counterpart in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and the former president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, were present. After taking into the account the latest developments, the leaders contacted Mr. Gadkari and convinced them that his continuation was not in the best interests of the party.
The leaders also got in touch with senior RSS leaders and got their approval for a change in leadership. According to sources, the Sangh Parivar, which batted for a second term for Mr. Gadkari till the last minute, conveyed to the BJP leaders that it would agree to any consensus candidate.
Surprisingly, senior BJP leader L.K. Advani, before his departure for Mumbai in the afternoon, contacted Mr. Naidu and asked him to take up the job once again. However, Mr. Naidu did not agree.
The BJP’s Parliamentary Board will meet at the party headquarters half-an-hour before the election process commences. The pace of events in the evening was so fast that just before the meeting of the senior leaders, the BJP, in a major goof, condemned the IT raids on firms connected to Mr. Gadkari on the “eve of his re-election” as party president.
Though a second term for Mr. Gadkari was considered a foregone conclusion, the rebels appeared determined to embarrass him with their efforts to make it a contest.
This copy has been corrected for a typographical error
Keywords: BJP president election, Gadkari candidature, IT department move, Puti Group, Rajnath Singh
IT raids may not be a coincidence. It may be orchestrated by centre. I wonder why UPA is bothered about BJP's presidential elections.
It's unfortunate that Nitin Gadkari is not continuing for second term. It was really very bad to see that media has involved him purti's case where we know that innocent. At the end congress policy WINS..Gadakari was actually stabilising the BJP front and showing right path. Personally those who really know Gadakari those will understand the importance in BJP, rest will talk waste.
Anyways, Its one backward step for tiger who is going to jump high. I personanlly, wish him a good luck for hist next assignment in BJP.
Not sure what rajnath singh has done during his 1st president duration but my heartly wishes to rajnath singh ji for 2014 elections. Modi ji has special agenda in supporting rajnath singh ji...Rajnath singji can have positive dialouge with Nitishji ..if BJP wons with majority.....apart from I do not see narendra ji on supporting sing ji...
"Dramatic turn of events marks end of his tenure, despite RSS support" Can you substantiate this with proof?
Despite all brave talk of Gadkari and RSS, it is now clear that the
top brass of BJP is trying to make amends for its past mistakes by
deciding not to re-elect Gadkari as President of the party. BJP has
seriously erred by not coming out clean on the subject of investments
in Nitin Gadkari’s companies. But if BJP does not wish to provide
details of Gadkari’s investments it would face further embarrassment
after a few weeks after the investigations by IT department are
completed. It is easy to blame the UPA government and the Congress for
investigations in Gadkari’s companies but citizens would not be fooled
by such tantrums of BJP and its leaders
The timing of the raid is suspicious. The allegations against Gadkari
were made ages ago. How sweet for the IT dept. to conduct a raid just
when BJP is up for Party President elections.
The Ultimate Goal to achieve is the vision 2014 Back to Power and
the B.J.P. Cadre is always committed to the Head of the Party . As
now the name of Mr Rajnath Singh is in the Front Runners for the post of
National President, Hope that he will try his best to achieve the Goal
of 2014 .
How the Mighty fall!After all that brou haha about the being the first person to get a second term in BJP because of the backing of the powerful RSS,the guy turns out to be no better than any other cheap Tax Dodger.The only diff is that this man's
dodge probably runs into several crores of rupees.The poor man didn't contend with his own partymen who pulled the rug from under his feet.The party that is supposed to stand for probity/rectitude
and moral principles etc.has in recent times taken such a bashing,that it is now time for the important leaders for serious introspection on what has gone wrong and why no one has bothered about its image which has been smashed to smithereens.
Never mind Mr. Gadkari, your party will come to power.
I want to see some raids on congress MP'S and MlA's business too.
"the UPA government has been making an effort to spread disinformation about me in order to hurt me and my party"
Ha, Ha
I am pretty impressed with BJP, especially with this change. If it had been congress, the party men cannot think beyond the dynasty. What a shame that INC has become a private organization for the Nehru dynasty, hiding under Gandhiji's name. Unless India is under non-congress rule for atleast a couple of decades, the humongous inequality and social fissures introduced by congress cannot be eliminated. Even this week Congress is playing the game of riling up religious goup by attacking the majority Hindu religion. People should wake up. I have no hope, as the media is a complete sellout.
It is good decision that BJP took and got rid of Gadakari.There is no
doubt that his business "Purti Group" is into IT irregularities. Also,
this guy listening to some backstabbers in K'Taka BJP, was instrumental
in removing Mr.Yeddyurappa as CM , who was in fact trying to cut down
the mining mafia and give good administration to Karnataka.Good
Riddance. Now BJP has a hope to win Lok Sabha in 2014 with Modi
projected as PM.
Nitin Gadkari deserves every praise for upholding the democratic
principle that caeser's wife should be above suspicion.He has denied
congress a stick to beat the BJP with.
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