Pawar can be good PM if cricket is the only criterion: Gadkari

NCP chief Sharad Pawar can be a good prime minister if cricket is the only criterion, Maharashtra BJP president Nitin Gadkari has said.

"Pawar has succeeded in cricket but as Union agriculture minister he has failed on all fronts to improve plight of the agrarian sector," Gadkari told reporters here.

"He can be a good Prime Minister if cricket is the only criterion," Gadkari said during a press conference last evening, criticising the Maratha leader's prime ministerial ambitions.

Indicating that Pawar would face a tough fight from BJP nominee in Madha Lok Sabha constituency, Gadkari said the NCP chief would face public fury over "years of neglect and unfulfilled promises by the Congress-NCP led government in the state."

"In Madha, Pawar will have to sweat it out.. It is not going to be a cakewalk for him," Gadkari said.

Gadkari recently went on an extensive two-day tour of Madha constituency and addressed 12 public rallies across Sangola, Karmala, Malshiras, Madha and Phaltan talukas.

BJP will focus on the state government's failures to complete irrigation projects in the drought prone areas of Madha. There is a large-scale resentment against the government in drought-prone areas of Solapur and Satara which fall in Madha constituency, Gadkari said.

"There is tremendous discontent among people over problems like lack of drinking water and load-shedding, which has affected farmers and students," Gadkari said.

"On one hand, students cannot appear for exams as there is no light to study and on the other, Pawar is organising cricket matches under bright glare of halogens in cities," he added.

Madha seat comprises six assembly segments, four of which are controlled by the NCP and one each by the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) and the Shiv Sena.

NCP-controlled Malshiras and Madha segments fall in Solapur district while Maan and Khatav are in Satara district. Sangola and Karmala, both in Solapur district, are controlled by the PWP and Sena, respectively.