Not in the race for the post of PM, says Gadkari

New Delhi, Mar 1: Union Minister of Road and Transport Nitin Gadkari Friday said he is not in the race for the post of Prime Minister as is being widely speculated and that the country was progressing well under the leadership and ideology of PM Narendra Modi.

To a question on being a viable PM candidate at the India Today Conclave , Nitin Gadkari said he is not in the race to be the Prime Minister. He said, "PM Modi is the PM and will be the PM even after the elections. He said he is an RSS man and service to the nation is his duty."

"I am not in the race to be the Prime Minister. PM Modi is the PM and will be the PM even after the elections. I am an RSS man, service to the nation is my duty. We are all behind him [PM Modi]. I am another worker in the fulfilment of his vision. Where does the question of me being a PM arise?" he added.

It may be recalled that the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh chief and convener of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, Adv Prakash Ambedkar, has alleged that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has launched a campaign to project Nitin Gadkari as the next Prime Minister and that the Congress is also in agreement to it.

Ambedkar said that the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar should contest against Gadkari to demolish the plan.