Harping on the party’s much-discussed “Shat Pratishat Bajpa” (cent per cent BJP), Union Minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari on Sunday asked the party men to lay stress on expanding the party’s base in the state rather concentrating on fruits of power.
Speaking at the concluding ceremony of the BJP’s two-day state executive meeting held in Pune, Gadkari told the party cadres: “let us face it. Power is not permanent, but the party set-up is permanent. You should concentrate on widening the party base in the state”.
Exhorting the party workers against going after ministerial positions, Gadkari said that senior functionary should demonstrate ethical conduct.
“Those who crave for power are driven by insatiable ambition and they remain unhappy. Ministership and the pomp and power that come with it do not last long. Senior party functionaries should demonstrate ethical behaviour to set an example for new workers,” he said.
Since the remarks were seen an apparent dig at the party’s tainted senior party leader Eknath Khadse who was sitting on the dais, Gadkari swiftly clarified: “Don’t interpret my remarks in a wrong manner”.
Khadse, it may be recalled, had resigned as the State Revenue Minister over allegations of corruption recently.
Admitting his own weakness for food in the past, Gadkari said: “We all have weaknesses. I’d weakness for food. Doctors performed the bariatric surgery on me and structurally limited my food intake which is good for health.”Everybody should choose his own doctor to ensure good health by curbing the cravings”.
Gadkari said that unlike the Congress which was “dynastic” entity, the BJP was a worker-based party and that the party leaders could not dictate terms while running the party. “ I know this because I was the president. This party is not run by the dictates of any one individual - be it Atal Bihari Vajpayee, lK Advani, myself, Amit Shah, or Narendra Modi. It has a different character and the party belongs to its workers who are the real source of its strength,” he said.
“The BJP is not a party that revolves around one leader. There are other parties in the country which are one family-run party. We are a party with difference. We are a party of activists or workers. We should all realise this. We should also follow the examples of senior and old party men who have contributed to the party in a big way,” Gadkari said.