Gadkari bats for ‘strong Congress’ at national level. Cong leader replies

During an event in Pune, union minister Nitin Gadkari said while the Congress is weakening, other regional parties are taking its space which is not good for democracy

The Congress on Monday welcomed union minister Nitin Gadkari's remark calling for a strong Congress for the country's democracy, PTI reported. During an interview along the sidelines of a journalism award function organised by Lokmat in Pune on Saturday, the minister had said, "Democracy runs on two wheels. One wheel is the ruling party and another wheel is the opposition. A strong opposition is needed for democracy and that is why I feel from the heart that Congress should become stronger at the national level."

"While the Congress is weakening, other regional parties are taking its space. It is not good for democracy that other regional parties take the space of Congress," he said.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari said those following Congress ideology should remain in the party and have faith in its ideals

“Those who follow Congress ideology should remain in the party and have faith in its ideals,” Gadkari was quoted by the Indian Express. This remark comes amid continuous electoral setbacks faced by the Grand Old Party in recent times. The Congress was unseated from power by the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab, while it could win only two seats in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress failed to dislodge the BJP from power in Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur.

Interestingly, several top BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi have called for a Congress-mukt Bharat. PM Modi during his speech in Parliament in February had said that the Congress was existing against Mahatma Gandhi's will.

Read: Congress-mukt Bharat? India's grand old party is struggling

Reacting to Gadkari's remark, Maharashtra Congress leader Sachin Sawant said, "We appreciate whatever concern Gadkari ji has shown. But he should also speak to his leader Modi ji about the BJP's efforts to destroy opposition parties and democracy by taking charge of central probe agencies."

“It will be in the interest of democracy and the country if he (Gadkari) talks to Modi ji on the mindset of the BJP to destroy the opposition party and the attempt to convert democracy into dictatorship," Sawant told PTI.