'Join us, will ensure your victory': Uddhav Thackeray's new offer to Nitin Gadkari

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday once again asked Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to leave the BJP if he was being "insulted". He said the opposition parties in Maharashtra would ensure Gadkari's victory in the Lok Sabha elections. This is the second time the Sena (UBT) chief has offered him a seat. 

Thackeray's first offer came last week when the BJP released its first list of 195 candidates, but Gadkari's name did not feature. Gadkari is the sitting MP from Maharashtra's Nagpur. In the first list, the BJP did not announce any candidate for Maharashtra as seat-sharing talks with NCP and Shinde's Shiv Sena were yet to conclude.     

Speaking at a rally at Pusad in eastern Maharashtra's Yavatmal district, Thackeray said people like (former Congress leader) Kripashankar Singh, whom the BJP once targeted over alleged corruption, figured in the party's first list of candidates along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but Gadkari's name was missing.

"I had told Gadkari this two days ago, and I am repeating it. If you are being insulted, leave the BJP and join the Maha Vikas Aghadi (an alliance of Sena(UBT), NCP (SP) and Congress). We will ensure your victory. We will make you a minister when our government comes to power, and it will be a post with powers," he said.

Last week, responding to Thackeray's offer to Gadkari, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis mocked the Sena (UBT) chief, saying it was like a man in the street offering someone to make US President. Fadnavis said Gadkari was a prominent leader of the BJP, but the first list did not have names from Maharashtra as seat-sharing discussions between the BJP and its allies were not complete.

The Deputy Chief Minister also said that Gadkari will contest from Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency and his name will be first in the list of Maharashtra.

Gadkari described Thackeray's 'invitation' to contest the polls for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) as "immature and ridiculous". "The suggestion is immature and ridiculous. The BJP has a system of giving tickets to candidates," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

BJP-NCP-Shiv Sena Seat-Sharing

Meanwhile, the seat-sharing of NDA partners has almost been finalised. According to talks, Ajit Pawar-led NCP will contest on four seats - Baramati, Raigarh, Shirur, and Parbhani - the BJP will get 31 seats, while the Shiv Sena of Eknath Shinde will contest 13, NDTV reported on Wednesday.

(With inputs from PTI)