New Delhi / Shah asks Sharad Pawar, Rahul to clear stand on Article 370 revocation

“The BJP door is not completely open,” said union home minister Amit Shah in Solapur on Sunday, addressing a public rally where his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed three more leaders from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress on board.

Shah’s “door not open” quip came with a kicker. “People like me are preventing Chandrakantdada Patil from opening the BJP’s doors fully.

“If he does that, only Pawar and Prithviraj Chavan will be left in NCP and Congress,” said Shah, adding that this situation has come about because “these parties only cared about some families”.

Among those who joined the BJP in Shah’s presence are NCP leader from Osmanabad, Ranajagjit Sinh; former NCP MP from Kolhapur, Dhananjay Mahadik; and Congress MLA from Man-Khatav, Jaykumar Gore.

Shah, speaking at the rally held to mark the culmination of second phase of the party’s “Mahajanadesh yatra” also endorsed Devendra Fadnavis as Maharashtra’s next chief minister.

“These parties were in power for 15 years, but they only cared about some families. On the other hand Devendra Fadnavis is concerned about common people,” said Shah. “The pair of Narendra (Modi) at the centre and Devendra in Maharashtra is ideal,” said Shah.

The home minister also targeted Congress about abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, saying, “Today, Pakistan is using Rahul Gandhi’s remarks to target India.”

Earlier, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, speaking in Latur, said, “We have inducted four-five leaders so far, who need to be given tickets for the Assembly elections. The BJP leaders’ original strength is some 98 per cent as it is.”