All is not well in BJP? Angry Gadkari skips Maharashtra state executive meeting

All is not well in Maharashtra BJP, especially between Union Minister Nitin Gadkari – the RSS’ blue eyed boy and the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis – protégé of the outgoing BJP presided and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, told BJP sources.

The rivalry between the two camps was on full display on Sunday, when citing a prior engagement, Gadkari skipped BJPs state executive meeting held in Mumbai; whereas Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis did not only attend the meeting but also announced his comeback as the chief minister again.

Gadkari’s boycott of the meeting assumes significance as it was attended by the BJP  working president JP Nadda who was on his maiden tour of the state after taking charge of the party.

It is believed that Gadkari is also unhappy with the BJP’s high command for giving “undue weightage” to Fadnavis.

According to Maharashtra observers, Gadkari’s boycott ahead of the assembly elections, signals deep rift between the two camps who derive their political strength from the RSS headquarters.

However, Gadkari camp as well as the BJP leaders rubbished the rift.

A Nagpur based journalist believes that Modi-Shah duo have not forgiven Gadkari for his veiled attacks on Modi in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections.

“Gadkari who was seen as a challenger to PM Modi within the BJP until May 23 is being cornered in the state politics at the behest of the Modi-Shah who hold the grudge against him as well as a brute command over the party,” said the journalist.

During the Lok Sabha election, Gadkari, on many occasions, made several comments that put the Modi government in the dock, providing ammunition to the opposition parties as well as Modi critics to fore fresh salvo.

Nagpur observers say Gadkari-Fadnavis rivalry has a third dimension that reaches Delhi. “Role of Delhi Durbar cannot be negated,” said a Nagpur observer on condition of anonymity.