Fadnavis needed in Maharashtra currently: Gadkari

Union minister Nitin Gadkari today said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was doing a good job in the state, while he was also capable of doing equally well if shifted to the Centre.
He said this in reply to a question from a reporter on whether Fadnavis' elevation to the Union cabinet was under consideration.
The Union minister of road transport and highways and shipping was speaking to reporters at his residence here.
"I think the chief minister has done a good job in Maharashtra. And (he) also has the capability to do a good job at the Centre. But at the moment, considering the greater problems and challenges in Maharashtra, his leadership is needed in the state.

"However, there will be deliberations over it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take an appropriate decision," he said.
While there was speculation in a section of the media about Fadnavis' possible move to Delhi, the chief minister, speaking at a state BJP executive meeting last week, had ruled it out.

"There is no such possibility as of now," he had said.
Asked whether he would take charge of the railway ministry (with Suresh Prabhu indicating that he had offered to quit after two derailments in Uttar Pradesh in lass than four days), Gadkari said he returned from the US only yesterday and heard about the speculation from mediapersons.

"Allocation of departments will be decided by the prime minister. I am satisfied with my current responsibilities," he added.
Asked if the government was planning to bring the railways and civil aviation under the transport ministry, Gadkari said in the US, aviation, railways and waterways were under a single infrastructure department, while in some other countries, these departments were separate.
"It is the prime minister's prerogative to decide on this," he added.