Gadkari knew weeks ago of ouster from top panels

‘Modi-Shah Duo Building Team for Future’

- Vaibhav Ganjapure & Shishir Arya

Nagpur: At a function in the city last month, Union minister Nitin Gadkari caused a flutter by saying he often feels like ‘quitting politics’ as he believes “there’s more to life”. At another function, he had said, “Donors run after political parties and are willing to give whatever is demanded. As I’m not the party president, there’s no scope for such dealings.”

It appeared he was dropping subtle hints. Three weeks later, the city MP was removed from the BJP’s Parliamentary Board and also from the Central Election Committee (CEC) in a major rejig, which saw the inclusion of many new faces, including Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The development seems to indicate discord between Gadkari and the power duo of PM Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah, say political analysts. It also indicates the changing equations in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The theory that Gadkari has RSS support as he is based in Nagpur may no longer be accurate, they feel.