Want BJP, Sena alliance to continue: Gadkari

The BJP and the Shiv Sena may have some differences, but they can't do without each other, Union minister Nitin Gadkari today suggested and wanted the alliance of the two parties to continue.

Against the backdrop of acrimony between the two parties during the Palghar Lok Sabha bypoll campaign, Gadkari maintained the saffron alliance does not have any ideological differences, adding there are no permanent friends or enemies in politics.

"It is an alliance done by (Sena supremo) late Bal Thackeray and (late BJP leader) Pramod Mahajan on the issue of Hindutva and both parties have no ideological differences. I want the alliance to continue," he said.

He was addressing a press conference here to highlight the Narendra Modi government's achievements in the last four years.

Quoting a Marathi proverb "Tujha majha zame na, tujha vachun karme na" (we have lot of differences, but still can't live without each other), he said the situation between the saffron allies was similar to it.

To a query if he would mediate between the two parties ahead of the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra polls next year, Gadkari said he was too busy with his ministerial work in Delhi and that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP chief Raosaheb Danve were capable of handling the situation.

Asked further whether he would intervene if the BJP asks him, he said, "Yes I would do so. Anything can happen in politics. There are no permanent friends or enemies."
On the opposition criticising former president Pranab Mukherjee for accepting the RSS invitation to speak at its function in Nagpur, Gadkari said, "The RSS is not Pakistan's ISI. The RSS is an organisation of nationalists."
To a question on if he would return to state politics, Gadkari said, "I wasn't interested when I was shifted to Delhi as the BJP's national president. Now, I like Delhi and don't want to come back."