Chavan, Thakre wrote letters favouring Goshikhurd: Gadkari

"What crime I committed when I wrote a letter (in favour of the Gosikhurd project). Since the project fell in my constituency, people approached me as it was getting delayed.

"Congress state chief Manikrao Thakre also wrote a letter...In my knowledge, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra also wrote a letter... Union Minister Mukul Wasnik (also an MP from Maharashtra) also wrote letter. In fact a large number of MPs and MLas wrote letters for the project," Gadkari said addressing a national convention of BJP's Economic Cell.

Gadkari's remarks came a day after AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi in a hard-hitting attack questioned his interest in writing the letter for the project and said that there has to be some relation between him and the contractor of the project. Dwivedi also said that the BJP will dig its own grave if Gadkari continues to remain its President.

The BJP chief wondered whether it was a crime on his part to ask for early completion of the project.

"Farmers were committing suicide. Had I not said anything, I would have been accused of remaining silent even when farmers in my constituency were dying. When I have said something, this is also a problem. I have not written one letter but five and will write ten more," he said.

Noting that there are over 300 such contractors in Maharashtra, he said, "Punish, whoever of them had been committing any wrong."

Alluding to the Congress, which has a coalition government in Maharashtra, Gadkari said, "You are the ones, who gave the contract, you are the once who delayed the project escalating its cost from Rs 800 crore to Rs 14000 crore. You are the once who dealt in money and now I am being blamed when I ask for early completion of the project." (MORE)