Union Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nitin Gadkari recently revealed that he turned down an offer to become Prime Minister, emphasizing that the role was not his life’s ambition. Speaking at the Anil Kumar Patrakarita Puraskar Samaroh organized by Vidarbha Gaurav Pratishthan on Saturday, Gadkari reaffirmed his commitment to his principles and organization.
Gadkari shared that an unnamed political leader had proposed their support if he were to pursue the Prime Minister’s position. However, he firmly declined the offer, stating, “To become a Prime Minister is not the aim in my life. I am loyal to my conviction and organization and I am not going to compromise for any post because my conviction is most important to me. I think that this conviction is the biggest strength of Indian democracy.”
In his address, Gadkari also underscored the importance of ethical conduct across the four pillars of democracy—judiciary, executive, legislature, and media. He stressed that democracy could only thrive when these pillars adhered to ethical standards.
Gadkari’s name had emerged as a potential Prime Ministerial candidate during both the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Known for his significant contributions to the BJP and his role as Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Gadkari has been a prominent figure in Indian politics. He has won the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat three times and has served in various ministerial capacities since May 2014.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Gadkari won from the Nagpur constituency by a margin of 1,37,603 votes, though his margin decreased by 78,397 compared to the 2019 elections. In 2019, he had secured victory with a margin of 2,16,000 votes over Congress’ Nana Patole. Gadkari first contested from Nagpur in 2014, winning by a significant margin of 2,84,828 votes.