Tiwari bats for Gadkari, wants him as FM/ def min

Nagpur: Kishore Tiwari, the activist who drew national attention towards farmers’ suicides in Vidarbha, has threatened to support Congress in the coming elections if the BJP does not upgrade Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari’s post in the party.
Tiwari’s organization Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS) has been active in Yavatmal where highest suicides have taken place. This is the second time that he has championed Gadkari’s case in the party.

After BJP came to power, Tiwari was made chairman of Vasantrao Naik Shektari Swavalamban Mission (VNSSM), a state government task force to address farm crisis. The post is equivalent to that of a minister of state. Among the several last-minute decisions before the code of conduct came into force, Tiwari’s honorarium as VNSSM chairman was also hiked by Rs50,000 taking it to Rs75,000. An order was also issued last week under which Tiwari will be conducting tours for direct interaction with farmers in drought-hit districts of Washim, Akola, Buldhana and Wardha in the capacity of VNSSM chairman.

Tiwari was in-charge of the arrangements for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally at Pandharkawda in Yavatmal. In 2008, he was actively involved during Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the district.

In December, 2018, Tiwari had written to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) demanding that Gadkari must replace Modi as the prime ministerial candidate stating that he has better understanding of ground level issues. In a letter to the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Tiwari had said that the defeat in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh was due to the current leadership and Gadkari should be given the reigns instead.

Even as Gadkari had later clarified that he was not in the race for being the prime minister, Tiwari has now raised the demand that he should be given more important ministerial berth in the next government.

“Instead of the surface transport ministry, Gadkari should be given a portfolio like defence or finance. He is the only person acceptable to all sections on account of his moderate image,” Tiwari told TOI.

Though other activists were sceptical about his influence, Tiwari claimed his shifting to the Congress can have an impact on the voting as his organization — VJAS — has a strong base among farmers.

“VJAS had supported Congress during the 2009 elections prior to which the mega farm loan waiver was announced. We later shifted to the BJP in 2012 as at that time Gadkari was party president. Now as he is no longer at the helm, I find a little scope that the party would address farmers’ issues,” he said.

Other activists said Tiwari has lost trust of the farmers after he accepted the post at VNSSM. “Had he been serious he should have left VNSSM by now and come back to activism,” said one of them requesting anonymity.

“The party would welcome anyone. If Tiwari has plans to shift to Congress, it seems he is seeing better prospects for the party. Hoever his entry would not make any major difference,” said Devenanand Pawar a Congress leader from Yavatmal.