In a statement that is being interpreted as a sign of discontent against the Bharatiya Janata Party's top two, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said leaders who have failed to deliver on their promises would be taught a lesson by the people.
"There is another specialty about these aspirations. People like leaders who show dreams, but if these aspirations are not fulfilled, then the people teach them a lesson (janata uski pitai karti hai). Hence, only show dreams that can be fulfilled," said Gadkari, in what is being interpreted as a slant remark aimed at PM Modi.
Gadkari further said that he was not a leader who merely promised things to people, but took his promises to a logical end.
He was speaking on Sunday at a function to launch the BJP's new transport wing 'Navbharatiya Shiv Vahatuk Sena'. The outfit has been floated by Haji Arafat Shaikh, who defected to the BJP from the Shiv Sena, and was made the chairman of the state commission for minorities.
Actress Isha Koppikar, who formally joined the BJP at the event, was appointed as the working president of the newly launched wing.
The former BJP president had earlier stirred up controversy by saying the party leadership should own up to its electoral failures, in an apparent reference to the defeat of the BJP in five recent assembly elections. The Lok Sabha MP from Nagpur also said that "success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan". He later claimed that his statements had been twisted and misinterpreted.
