New Delhi, March 1: Ruling himself out of the prime ministerial race, union minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nitin Gadkari on Friday virtually anointed Narendra Modi as its man to the top job if the party retains power after the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Speaking at an event, Nitin Gadkari clarified he is not in the race to be the prime minister.

In recent months, Gadkari has made several remarks that were apparently critical of PM Modi. However, the union minister said Narendra Modi is the prime minister and will remain so after the next general elections. "I am an RSS man and service to the nation is my duty," he said at the event. Gadkari also said the Congress party is not an enemy of the BJP. "We have different ideologies," he said. Sharad Pawar ‘Worried’ For Nitin Gadkari as an Alternative to PM Narendra Modi.

In January, Gadkari in Mumbai had said: "political leaders, who do not fulfil the dreams they peddle, will get thrashed by people". He further said that he was not among those who only show dreams. He does everything as promised. In December last year, he remarked that the leadership should own up to failures in the backdrop of BJP's defeat in the assembly elections in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Rahul Gandhi Praises Nitin Gadkari For 'Showing Guts', But There is a Twist.

However, the BJP had sought to play down Gadkari's comments saying they were twisted and political benefits were being sought out of it. BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao had said Gadkari was hinting towards the Congress that only gave slogans of 'Garibi Hatao' but did not do anything for poverty alleviation and towards Rahul Gandhi who makes empty promises.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 01, 2019 12:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).