Nitin Gadkari: BJP must remain a different party and avoid Congress’ mistakes

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has expressed that the BJP must remain a “different party” to retain the confidence of voters and avoid repeating the past mistakes of the Congress. He made these remarks during an executive meeting of the Goa BJP near Panaji, stressing that emulating the mistakes of the Congress would defeat the purpose of its political victory. Gadkari also urged the party cadres to focus on social and economic reforms and stressed the need for a corruption-free country. At the Goa BJP executive meeting, which included state unit president Sadanand Tanavade and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Gadkari reflected on the BJP’s journey. He referred to his mentor and former Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani, recalling, “Advaniji used to say that we are a different party. We have to understand how different we are from other parties.”

Gadkari stressed that “if we make the same mistakes, then it will be of no use if they go and we come in,” pointing to the Congress’s mistakes as the reason for the BJP’s electoral success. He acknowledged the need for BJP cadres to maintain the party’s unique identity and its distinctive approach to governance.

The Union minister stressed the importance of political responsibility beyond electoral success. “Politics is an instrument to bring about social and economic reforms,” Gadkari said. He urged BJP members to develop strategies for a corruption-free India, highlighting the party’s role in fostering national integrity.
Addressing the regional political dynamics, specifically in Maharashtra, Gadkari criticised caste-based politics, a strategy he vowed to shun. He declared his stance against caste-driven political agendas with a stern message: “If you want to win, you can use a plastic bag. (Anyone who talks about castes will receive a strong kick).”

Gadkari argued that people should be recognised for their values ​​and not their caste. This view is in line with his broader message of promoting merit and integrity in the political and social spheres.

Addressing the Goa BJP cadres, Gadkari called for proactive participation in the constituencies and encouraged party workers to focus on strengthening the organisation to ensure that the BJP retains power in the state assembly elections due in 2027.

Throughout his speech, Gadkari stressed that political leadership is about bringing about substantial changes and reforms, rather than merely seeking power. His remarks were aimed at inspiring BJP members to uphold the party’s ethos and work diligently to bring about improvements at the national and state levels.

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