Mahagathbandhan is 'majboori' and a game of compromises, compulsions: Gadkari

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said that the reason behind 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) of opposition parties is their "majboori" (helplessness), while adding that such an alliance is a game of compromises, compulsions and limitations.

In an exclusive interview to ANI, Gadkari asserted that it is the might of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi that has compelled political rivals "those who used to avoid each other to hug each other."

Gadkari's statement comes on the day, disgruntled RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha joined the Bihar mahagathbandhan with Congress and Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD as its partners. Kushwaha accusing the BJP leadership of being arrogant severed allies with the NDA on Thursday.

"The meaning of 'Mahagathbandhan' is - politics is a game of compromises, compulsions and limitations. When a party comes to know that they alone cannot defeat the other party, then they forge an alliance. No one comes in an alliance with happiness, they come due to helplessness," he told ANI.

"The strength of the BJP and Modi ji is big, hence, the Opposition is thinking of an alliance. Those who earlier used to avoid each other are now hugging each other. The reason behind their friendship is our (BJP) strength. We are going ahead on the basis of our strength," he added.

A similar remark on the grand alliance was passed by BJP national president Amit Shah, who referred to 'Mahagathbandhan' as an 'illusion'.

In the run-up to 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the show of unity to orchestrate Mahagathbandhan is underway. The main aim of the grand-alliance is to defeat the BJP in upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Further giving clarification over his recent statement where he advised BJP leaders to speak less, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Shipping asserted that there are few people who when speak to media stir a controversy, which hampers the image of the party.

"In the party, there is a spokesperson to speak officially. But there are few people in the party who whenever speaks to media, create controversy. One should not speak such things that lead to controversy and hamper the image of the party. This adversely affects the image of the party," he added.

When asked about BJP's performance in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, Gadkari said winning and losing is part of democracy. However, he averred that the BJP will win the upcoming general elections with a huge majority.

"Winning or losing is part of democracy. I don't see it as a defeat because there was just a marginal difference in the number of seats between the BJP and the Congress. I believe in Rajasthan the government changes every five years. Whatever were the loopholes, we will work on that for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections," he said.

"The development would be the main agenda of the Modi government and it had done unparallel work in the last 4.5 years, which has no match for the work done in the past 50 years," he added.