Not eyeing BJP president post, Modi will decide our roles: Gadkari

New Delhi: Nitin Gadkari has denied reports that he is eyeing the post of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president, especially after he got a clean chit from the Income Tax department in a corruption case on Tuesday. “I have been the BJP president for three years. I have no ambition to become the BJP president again,” Gadkari said, adding that the party’s priority was to form the government under Narendra Modi.

“Modi will decide what kind of role he will have for leaders. Party president Rajnath Singh will also decide,” he said.

Speculation was rife that Gadkari was eyeing the top post after he met party patriarch LK Advani earlier on Tuesday. Gadkari, however, denied the reports. It was Advani who ultimately prevailed, early on in 2013, to ensure that Rajnath was appointed as the BJP president. Advani was strictly opposed to Gadkari, who was then seeking renomination for the post, as he was facing corruption charges over dubious funding for his Purti Group of companies.

Facing criticism, Gadkari had then backed away from the elections for the post. “I do not wish that this should in any way adversely affect the interest of the BJP,” he had said.