Trouble for Gadkari as Mahesh Jethmalani quits

Blaming Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Nitin Gadkari of alleged financial wrongdoings, senior lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani, member of the party’s national executive committee (NEC), resigned from the position saying he would not be part of the committee till the time Gadkari was party chief.

The father and son duo, Ram and Mahesh Jethmalani, have both opposed the decision of giving a second term to Gadkari as BJP chief.

“I deem it morally and intellectually inappropriate to continue to serve on the party’s National Executive Committee as long as you are the President of the BJP. I hereby tender my resignation from the same,” said Mahesh Jethmalani in his letter to Gadkari.

After sending his resignation, Mahesh Jethmalani explained that he was not satisfied with the explanation given by Gadkari on corruption allegations but would continue to serve the party.

Recently, Ram Jethmalani had written a letter to Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), asking him not to give a second term to Gadkari and also to ask the BJP President to resign from the top post because of the repeated allegations of corruption against him.

“I took the decision because of the corruption allegations against Nitin Gadkari and in my opinion, he should not get a second term. This is my personal opinion. The corruption allegations against Nitin Gadkari are affecting the morale of the party,” Mahesh Jethmalani said while talking to reporters.

Mahesh Jethmalani also said he was annoyed with Gadkari’s statement comparing the IQ level of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim with Swami Vivekananda. However, soon after the statement, Gadkari denied having said this.

“I have spoken to all the senior leaders of BJP in the past four months. I hope the issue of Nitin Gadkari’s second term is resolved soon,” Jethmalani added.

A large section of BJP leadership is not in favour of giving a second term to Nitin Gadkari but none of the senior leaders want to oppose the decision because Gadkari enjoys complete backing of the RSS. BJP had amended the party’s constitution during the national executive and council meeting in Surajkund, Haryana, making it clear that Gadkari would get a second term as party’s chief.