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Gadkari says in poll season – People beat up leaders who show dreams but don’t fulfil them

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Modi and Gadkari

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Senior BJP leader and union minister Nitin Gadkari once again made a statement that has provided fodder to the opposition and forced the BJP and Narendra Modi government into an embarrassed silence.

While Modi government’s term is drawing to a close and there’s talk of its failure to deliver on nearly every poll promise – be it jobs, farmers’ plight, manufacturing, value of rupee, etc – Gadkari on Sunday said that people like leaders who show them dreams, but when those dreams aren’t fulfilled, people also beat up the leaders.

“Sapne dikhane waale neta logon ko acche lagte hain, par dikhaye hue sapne agar pure nahi kiye to janta unki pitayi bhi karti hai (People like political leaders who show them dreams. But if those dreams are not fulfilled, the people thrash these leaders),” said Gadkari.

“Isliye sapne wahi dikhao jo pure ho sakein. Main sapne dikhane waale mein se nahi hu. Main jo bolta hu, woh 100 per cent danke ki chot par pura hota hai (Hence you must only show dreams that can be fulfilled. I am not among those who show dreams. Whatever I say, I fulfill it 100 per cent),” he said.

Gadkari was speaking at an event in Mumbai to launch a new BJP-affiliated transport outfit — the Navbhartiya Shiv Vahatuk Sanghathana (NSVS).

Gadkari, who is the Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, highlighted his ministry’s ambitious project to turn rivers into waterways and plans for making road transport safer and more reliable. He said road projects worth Rs 5 lakh crore had been sanctioned in the state.

Many in the Opposition and some political commentators interpreted his comments as an indirect message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah, given the accusations levelled at the BJP about failing fulfil the promises it made in 2014.

The remark provoked some in the Opposition to ask for whom was the warning meant for. Taking a jibe at Gadkari over his statement, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that the minister was showing his party “a mirror in a subtle way.”

RJD leader Manoj K Jha also expressed shock at the comment and wrote, “OMG!! Something is brewing!!!”

Gadkari, a former BJP president, also spoke about his stint as Maharashtra’s PWD minister when the Shiv Sena-BJP government was in power (1995-99) in the state. “The mediapersons in Mumbai know what kind of a person I am as they have seen how I complete projects. They do trust me,” said the 61-year-old politician from Nagpur.

“People used to laugh at me when I, as PWD minister, used to claim that I was going to build over 50 flyovers in Mumbai, and bring down the travel time between Mumbai and Pune to merely two hours (via 91-km expressway). I was ridiculed but I proved them wrong and completed every project I had promised,” Gadkari said.

At the function, Bollywood actor Isha Koppikar joined the BJP and was made working president of the party’s women transport wing.

Last year, the Union minister had made comments that were said to have caused the ruling party much embarrassment. At an event he had said that some people in the BJP need to speak less. Politicians in general need to be more economical while speaking to media, he added.

In October 2018, the Union minister created a storm when he hinted that the BJP deliberately made “tall promises” to come to power. He said, “We were very confident that we would never come to power, so we were advised to make tall promises. Now that we are in power, the public reminds us of those promises made by us. However, these days, we just laugh and move on.”

In December, at the annual Intelligence Bureau (IB) Endowment Lecture, Gadkari had said: “If I am the party president and my MPs and MLAs are not doing well, then who is responsible? I am.”

This remark came just days after his comment that “the leadership should own up to defeat and failures”, in an apparent reference to the BJP’s defeat in the assembly elections in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Gadkari later said that his statements had been “twisted”.

“Success has many fathers but failure is an orphan, as when there is success, there will be a race to take credit but in case of failure, everybody will start pointing fingers at each other,” he had said. “Leadership should have the ‘vrutti’ (tendency) to own up the defeat and failures,” he had said.

At the IB function, Gadkari had also said that he liked the speeches of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. “Tolerance is the biggest asset of the Indian system,” he had said. “You can’t win elections only because you speak well… you might be a vidwan (learned) but people may not vote for you. One who thinks he knows everything is mistaken — people should refrain from artificial marketing,” he had said.

Earlier, he had said that “some people in the BJP need to speak less. Politicians, in general, must be more economical while interacting with the media”.

At the valedictory function of the annual Marathi literary meet at Yavatmal on January 13, Gadkari said politicians should not interfere in other fields.

The meet was embroiled in a controversy after an invitation to writer Nayantara Sahgal was withdrawn apparently under pressure from a political party.

Without making a direct reference to the row, Gadkari had said, “Politicians should learn not to interfere in other fields. The people who are in universities, educational institutions, literature and poetry, they should be dealing with their (respective) areas.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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BJP to launch 5,000-km Parivartan Yatra across West Bengal ahead of Assembly elections

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will begin its large-scale ‘Parivartan Yatra’ in poll-bound West Bengal from Sunday, marking a major political outreach drive ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

The party said the campaign is designed to mobilise support across the state and counter what it alleges has been more than a decade of “corrupt, undemocratic, and anti-people governance” under the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Statewide mobilisation across nine divisions

According to party leaders, the Yatra will be conducted simultaneously in all nine organisational divisions of West Bengal. The outreach programme is expected to cover nearly 5,000 kilometres, passing through 38 organisational districts and more than 230 Assembly constituencies.

The BJP estimates the initiative will generate over one crore direct public touchpoints, focusing heavily on face-to-face interactions and grassroots engagement. As part of the campaign plan, the party has scheduled 63 large rallies and 281 welcome meetings at key entry points of Assembly constituencies.

With the slogan “Paltano Dorkar, Chai BJP Sorkar”, the party has framed the Yatra as both an electoral campaign and a broader political movement aimed at strengthening its organisational presence across the state.

Focus on governance, law and order, and corruption

The party’s messaging during the Yatra will centre on governance, accountability, and systemic reforms. BJP leaders plan to raise concerns related to women’s safety, alleged corruption in the education sector, including teacher recruitment issues, and what they describe as threats to national security.

Party sources indicated that demographic changes, illegal infiltration, and the presence of extremist elements in border districts will also be key themes during the campaign.

In rural areas, the outreach will emphasise agricultural infrastructure, implementation of centrally sponsored schemes, and removal of intermediaries. In urban regions, the narrative will focus on industrial development, youth employment, and improvements in urban transport systems.

Senior leaders to participate

More than 100 senior leaders from the central and state units are expected to be involved in the Yatra. The inaugural phase, scheduled for Sunday and Monday, will feature five launch events on the first day and four on the second.

Senior BJP leaders including Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Rajnath Singh, Dharmendra Pradhan, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Nitin Nabin are expected to attend various programmes during the campaign.

After a short break for Holi, the Yatra will resume from March 5 to March 10, with each unit operating for approximately nine hours daily. The campaign is set to culminate in a major public meeting at Kolkata’s Brigade Ground, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address supporters.

The BJP is positioning the Parivartan Yatra as a significant step in reshaping the political landscape of West Bengal as the state moves closer to the Assembly elections.

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BJP alliances in Assam likely to be sealed by March 10

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himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has indicated that the alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) is expected to be finalised by March 10 ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

The AGP, a long-time ally of the BJP in Assam, is also a founding member of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Discussions between the partners are progressing, with indications that the formal announcement could come within days.

Sources said there could be “friendly fights” between the BJP and AGP in a few constituencies. Such arrangements may be considered to accommodate local-level aspirations and party workers from both sides.

The BJP is also likely to conclude seat-sharing discussions with the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) by March 10. In the previous Assembly election, the BPF had aligned with the Indian National Congress (Congress), but it has now returned to the NDA fold.

However, seat-sharing talks between the BJP and its other Bodoland-region partner, the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), are reportedly facing hurdles. Earlier, Mr Sarma had stated that the UPPL would not join hands with the Congress.

On the opposition side, the Congress is dealing with its own alliance challenges. Negotiations with Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dal are underway, but sources suggested that discussions have not been progressing smoothly.

Congress sources said seat-sharing arrangements with the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) and Left parties are almost finalised. An official announcement is awaited from the party’s high command.

As political negotiations intensify, both the ruling NDA and the opposition camp are working to conclude alliances and seat-sharing deals in the run-up to the state polls.

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Ajit Pawar’s son seeks detailed probe into Baramati plane crash

Jay Pawar has demanded a comprehensive probe and action against the aviation firm after the Baramati plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar and four others.

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Jay Pawar, the younger son of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, has called for a comprehensive and impartial investigation into the plane crash near Baramati that claimed his father’s life along with four others on January 28.

In a social media post on Wednesday, Jay Pawar raised concerns over what he described as “possible serious lapses” that may have led to the fatal accident. He asserted that the aircraft’s black box is not easily destroyed and stressed that people of Maharashtra deserve to know the complete truth behind the crash.

Demand for action against aviation company

The ill-fated Learjet 45XR aircraft was operated by VSR Ventures Private Limited. Jay Pawar urged authorities to conduct a detailed probe into the firm’s operations and sought a ban on the aviation company pending investigation.

“A detailed investigation of possible serious lapses and irregularities of the aircraft firm should be done in a detailed and impartial manner,” he said.

The crash occurred near the Baramati airstrip, resulting in the deaths of Ajit Pawar and four others.

Call for CBI probe and sabotage allegations

Jay Pawar’s statement came a day after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar and leaders from the Nationalist Congress Party met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to demand a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the accident.

Separately, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar alleged there was reason to suspect sabotage in the crash and called for a multi-agency investigation involving experts.

During a press conference last week, Rohit Pawar also questioned the past record of Captain Sumit Kapoor, who was piloting the aircraft on the day of the crash. He referred to the pilot’s previous three-year suspension for alcohol consumption.

AAIB seeking support to retrieve CVR data

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is conducting a detailed probe into the crash. According to the agency, special technical assistance has been sought to retrieve data from the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of the Learjet 45 aircraft involved in the accident.

The investigation is ongoing.

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