Another executive member wants BJP chief Gadkari to quit

Jagdish Shettigar, economic advisor to BJP and national executive member, said Gadkari should take the best decision in the interest of the organisation

The list of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders coming out openly against party President Nitin Gadkari is increasing with each passing day. The recent addition to the list is Jagdish Shettigar, economic advisor to BJP and national executive member, who said Gadkari should take the best decision in the interest of the organisation.

Most of the senior BJP leaders, including LK Advani, are annoyed with the continuous support shown by the Rahstriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for Gadkari. And the senior-most leader is of the opinion that Gadkari should step down from the top post without even completing his present tenure which ends in December this year.

 

“Nitin Gadkari is also a swayamsewak whose dharma is to protect the interest of the country first and then protect the interest of the organisation. So, I am sure he being a swayamsewak wil follow his conscience and will take the best step in the overall interest of the country and the organisation,” said Jagdish Shettigar, senior BJP leader.

The BJP president is facing severe criticism, both from within his party and from other political parties because of the consistent allegations of financial wrongdoings. The income tax department and the ministry of corporate affairs have already initiated probes into the allegations.

“If what has been reported is correct then I think it is not as per what you call the norms of SEBI or other institutions,” Shettigar said while talking to reporters.

The first to demand Gadkari’s resignation from the top party post was Mahesh Jethmalani, who resigned from the membership of the national executive committee. Soon after, Ram Jethmalani also launched a scathing attack on Gadkari claiming that the former had support of leaders like Yashwant Sinha, Jaswant Singh and Shatrughan Sinha on the matter.

Sensing the growing mood against Gadkari within BJP, RSS leadership rushed S Gurumurthy to rescue the BJP president. Gurumurthy tried to convince Advani that Gadkari was not involved in any financial wrongdoing, but it didn’t help. Most of the senior BJP leaders are of the opinion that the party should be led by a politically active person.

Senior leaders fear corruption allegations against Gadkari will not only affect the morale of the party cadre but also weaken the anti-corruption campaign launched against the Congress-led government by the main opposition party.