Nagpur: Gadkari Warns Against Caste-Based Politics Within BJP, Urges Unity
Nagpur, 7th April 2025: Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday advised Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule to avoid forming caste-based units within the party, warning that such moves could open the floodgates for ticket demands from various communities ahead of elections.
Speaking at the bhoomipujan ceremony for the Bharatiya Janata Party’s upcoming regional office in Nagpur on Sunday, Gadkari shared a candid moment from his political journey. Turning to Bawankule on stage, he said, “I told him, ‘Learn from my mistakes.’ I made the error of creating caste-based wings within the party. Initially, I believed it would help us bring together different communities. But eventually, I was swamped with requests for election nominations from every caste group.”
He added in a lighter tone, “Bawankule will soon find himself facing 50 letters from different community representatives, each asking for tickets. It becomes a challenge.”
The remark sparked laughter among party workers and leaders present, with even Bawankule joining in the banter. “The final decision on tickets comes from Delhi,” Bawankule quipped, drawing further chuckles from the crowd.
Despite the humorous exchange, Gadkari used the opportunity to underline the party’s broader ideological stance. “We must rise above caste. Our identity is the BJP, and our commitment is to the nation. We are not a party built on caste or communal divisions. Our mantra has always been ‘Nation First’,” he said.
