BJP MLA offers to vacate his seat for Gadkari

HYDERABAD:06/06/2010:- BJP National President, Nitin Gadkari, making a point while speaking to journalists in a packed news conference held at party's headquarters in Hyderabad on Sunday. He on a three day visit to rejuvenate party cadre in Andhra Pradesh and first tour after becoming president of the party . Photo:Mohammed_Yousuf

The Bhartiya Janata Party(BJP) MLA from Nagpur (East) constituency, Krishna Kophde, has offered to vacate his seat for senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari in case the Union Minister decides to come back to the state politics.

“All MLAs from Vidarbha requested him to come back to state politics and head the new government yesterday. If he decides to come back, I will happily vacate my seat for him,” said Mr. Khopde who defeated Congress candidate Abhjijit Wanjari by 48,614 votes in the recently concluded Maharashtra assembly elections.

Over 40 MLAs had gathered at the residence of Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday shouting slogans of

Maharashtra Ka Neta Kaisa ho, Nitin Gadkari Jaisa ho (Maharashtra’s leader should be like Nitin Gadkari) and requested him to become the next Chief Minister of the state.

Although, he has remained non-committal over the request of the MLAs, the show of strength carried by his supporters in Nagpur on Tuesday is being considered as an attempt by Mr. Gadkari to pitch himself as a probable CM candidate.

According to sources close to the RSS in Nagpur, the RSS top brass supports both Mr. Gadkari and state BJP chief Devendra Fadnavis for the CM post.

“Both are RSS Swayamsevaks and both of them enjoy good rapport with the RSS bosses. Sangh will leave the issue for the top BJP leadership to decide. But we may give our opinion if asked for,” said an RSS leader wishing anonymity.

According to a close aide of Mr. Gadkari, the “driving point” for the Gadkari camp to pitch his name as CM candidate is to stop the creation of another power center in Nagpur.

“Anyone who becomes the CM can’t remain a mute observer and if a strong leader like Fadnavis gets a chance, he will make the most out of it. Gadkari can never allow another strong leader in his own domain,” said the source.

Meanwhile, five newly elected independent MLAs met Mr. Gadkari at his residence in Nagpur on Wednesday.

Ahmadpur MLA Vinayak Patil, Amalner MLA Shirishdada Choudhari, Kalyan East MLA Ganpath Gayakawad, Bhosari MLA Mahesh Landge and Badnera MLA Ravi Rana met Mr. Gadkari and offered their support to the BJP, informed a source close to Mr. Gadkari.