“The people of Maharashtra gave our party a solid backing. Everyone was in their minds that Devendra Fadnavis should become the Chief Minister as people have seen his competency and leadership,” admired Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. BJP’s Vidarbha MLAs who won the Assembly elections were felicitated by Nitin Gadkari in a programme organised by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Nagpur Mahanagar and District at the ground of Ishwar Deshmukh College, Krida Chowk on Wednesday. Gadkari expressed confidence that Devendra’s achievements will not remain without bringing about a change in Maharashtra.

 

“Devendra Fadnavis and Chandrashekhar Bawankule are the sons of Nagpur and they are leading Maharashtra,” said Gadkari. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Revenue Minister and BJP State President Chandrashekhar Bawankule, former Rajya Sabha Member Ajay Sancheti, were present on the dais. “I am happy that the birth centenary of Atal Behari Vajpayee has been chosen for today’s programme. His life is inspiring for all of us. Atalji gave this country the message that it is not right to give vent to casteist ideas. We have to move forward with his ideas,” pointed out Gadkari. “Devendra was chosen by the party and not by his family. I asked Devendra to contest the elections because the party decided. I always insisted that no ticket should be given to children whose parents insist on it. BJP is not a private party of anyone’s parents. It is a party of workers. Devendra has come forward from the tradition of this party,” praised Gadkari.

 

“I am being felicitated on the birth centenary of Atal Behari Vajpayee, whom I look up to in politics. Along with that, I am being felicitated by Nitinji, whose guidance was very valuable in politics. Therefore, this was not a felicitation for me, but a compliment. Recollecting the memory, Fadnavis said, “Nitinji asked me to fight and my journey began. At that time, Prabhakarrao Datke and Diwakarrao Dhakras were with me. The progress has been very fast. It was an education for me that remained a guiding force. We faced recent Assembly elections. We had to erase the failure in the Lok Sabha. Nitinji took charge of the entire election. He created enthusiasm among the workers by holding meetings in every corner of Maharashtra.

 

He worked to give direction to the campaign and steered us to victory.” Devendra Fadnavis, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Tribal Development Minister Ashok Uike, Labour Minister Akash Phundkar, Minister of State for Home Pankaj Bhoyar along with Randhir Savarkar, Chainsukh Sancheti, Krishna Khopde, Sameer Meghe, Mohan Mate, Pravin Datke, Sanjay Kute, Ashish Deshmukh Shyam Khode, Sai Dahake, Pratap Adsad, Rajesh Wankhede, Kewalram Kale, Praveen Tayde, Umesh Yawalkar, Raju Todsam, Sumit Wankhede, Rajesh Bakane, Sameer Kunawar, Devrao Bhongale, Kishore Jorgewar, Bunty Bhangdia, Milind Narote, Vijay Rahangdale, Sanjay Puram, Charan Singh Thakur, and Rajya Sabha member Dr Anil Bonde were felicitated.