Gadkari's dig at Velingkar: Sanghchalaks do not contest polls

Taking a dig at RSS rebel Subhash Velingkar whose outfit is part of an alliance against ruling BJP in next month's Assembly polls, Union minister Nitin Gadkari today said no "Sanghchalak" will come on political platform to contest elections and doing so is "anti-Sangh".

"Sangh (RSS) does not interfere in politics. I am a swayamsevak and I am proud of it. As far as I understood Sangh, it does not participate in politics," Gadkari said while addressing a press conference here.

Velingkar was sacked as the chief of Goa unit of RSS last year after he announced intention to contest polls against the ruling BJP over the issues of the medium of instruction (MOI) and continuation of grants to English-medium schools, which he had opposed.
 

His Goa Suraksha Manch is a part of the "grand alliance", also comprising Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Shiv Sena, which will take on the BJP in February 4 polls.

Gadkari, the BJP in-charge for elections in Goa, said, "No sanghchalak will come on political platform and contest elections. If someone has done it, it's against Sangh."

Responding to a query on why he did not make any attempt to have a dialogue with MGP for alliance with BJP, Gadkari said he did tried to contact Sudin Dhavalikar, a senior MGP leader and one of the two ministers who were dropped by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar last year. MGP subsequently pulled out of the state government.

"I don't want to mix friendship with politics. I tried to contact him (Sudin). But I read his statement in newspaper that they (MGP) will not start the discussions before election notification is announced. That is why we did not follow it.

"We were waiting for the talks after notification. He (Sudin) might be feeling that he wants to be CM and I can't fulfil his wish or may be he is thinking that he will tie up with us post elections if required to give stable government," Gadkari said.

When asked whether BJP would align with MGP after elections, the BJP leader quipped," Politics is the game of contradiction, compulsion and limitations. Anything can happen in cricket and politics.