Nitin Gadkari reveals he declined offer of support for Prime Ministerial candidacy
PTC News Desk: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari revealed on Saturday that he had once been offered political backing to enter the race for the Prime Minister’s post, but he declined, citing his lack of interest in the role. Speaking at an event in Nagpur, Gadkari shared the story of an unnamed political figure who approached him with an offer of support, though he did not specify the timing of the conversation.
“I remember one incident… I won’t name anyone. That person said, ‘If you are going to become the Prime Minister, we will support you,'” Gadkari recounted. Despite the offer, the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways was clear that he had no aspirations for the position.
Gadkari elaborated on his decision, emphasizing that becoming Prime Minister was never a personal ambition. “But I asked why should you support me, and why should I accept your support? Becoming the Prime Minister is not the aim of my life. I am loyal to my convictions and my organisation, and I am not going to compromise for any post because my convictions are most important to me,” he explained.
Gadkari’s name has occasionally surfaced in political circles as a potential Prime Ministerial candidate, particularly during the lead-up to both the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections. According to a February 2024 survey by India Today, Gadkari was ranked third among leaders considered best suited to succeed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
In 2019, when similar discussions arose, Gadkari quickly dismissed them, expressing his full support for PM Modi. “India is in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s capable hands,” Gadkari said at the time. “We are all behind him. I am just another worker in the fulfillment of his vision. Where does the question of me being PM arise? I am not in the race to be PM. I don’t see this dream.”
A veteran leader within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Gadkari has held significant influence, particularly as a three-time Member of Parliament representing Nagpur and a former BJP national president from 2009 to 2013.
He is known for his strong ties to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and enjoys widespread respect across the political spectrum. As the longest-serving Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Gadkari has played a crucial role in transforming India’s infrastructure, serving in this position for over a decade.