Nitin Gadkari: No role of RSS chief in Maharashtra govt formation, BJP-Shiv Sena govt soon headed by Fadnavis

Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat shouldn't be linked to the government formation moves in Maharashtra. "It won't be appropriate to link the RSS chief to the goings-on (over government formation)," he said.

Nitin Gadkari also said that the BJP and Shiv Sena have got the mandate to form the government and they will, which will be headed by Devendra Fadnavis.

" The BJP and Shiv Sena have got the mandate to form the government in the state. Fadnavis will lead the new government in Maharashtra. We will get Sena’s support in this regard, we are in talks with them,” he said, adding a decision will be taken soon to resolve the impasse over government formation in his home state.

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari also ruled out any possibility of his returning to state politics and said the political impasse in Maharashtra would be soon resolved.

"I am in Delhi... There is no question of my returning to state politics. The political crisis in the state will be resolved soon," Gadkari said, ending all speculation of his being a contender for the post of a consensus Chief Minister to defuse the state political deadlock over government formation.

Endorsing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Gadkari said that all efforts are being made to ensure a government under his leadership in alliance with the Shiv Sena.

A day after stoking the political fires over his possible role in the state and a meeting with Congress leader Ahmed Patel, the Union Minister is currently in Nagpur to meet Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat.

In Mumbai, state minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said that Gadkari would not return to state politics and said the new government would be formed under Fadnavis' stewardship.

With input from agencies