Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari is set to enter the electoral fray once again, this time representing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Maharashtra’s Nagpur. This announcement comes as part of the BJP’s second list of candidates released recently.
Gadkari, a former president of the BJP, has been a stalwart in the party and one of the longest-serving ministers in the Narendra Modi government. Since taking office as the Road Minister in 2014, he has spearheaded various key ministries, including Shipping, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation.
Currently, Gadkari also serves as a Member of Parliament from Nagpur, further solidifying his political presence in the region. However, recent statements from Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray have sparked controversy. Thackeray’s call for Gadkari to consider leaving the BJP if he feels “insulted” raises questions about the internal dynamics within Maharashtra’s political landscape.
Meanwhile, the BJP’s second list of candidates includes prominent names such as Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Pralhad Joshi, and Anurag Singh Thakur, along with former chief ministers Manohar Lal Khattar, Basavaraj Bommai, and Trivendra Singh Rawat. Khattar’s decision to contest from Karnal, following his resignation as Haryana’s Chief Minister, underscores the strategic moves within the party.
Additionally, the introduction of new candidates in Delhi and the strategic positioning of candidates in states like Karnataka reflect BJP’s meticulous planning for the upcoming elections. Notable among them are Pralhad Joshi, who will contest from Dharwad, and B Y Raghavendra, son of former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, who will vie for the Shimoga seat.
With the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for April-May 2024, BJP’s comprehensive approach to candidate selection, evident from its first and second lists containing over 190 names, underscores the party’s determination to secure a strong mandate in the upcoming polls.
