"If We Have Not Performed Well, Others Will Get A Chance": Nitin Gadkari

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has a word of advice for voters for the national elections that will start next Thursday. The BJP candidate from the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat said the people should judge the government on the basis of the work it has done in the last five years.

"See, this time it will be a test of our governance. The ruling party should be analysed on the basis of its performance in five years. If people think we have not performed well, other parties will get a chance," Mr Gadkari told NDTV. "I don't think politics is for power; I think politics is for the society."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is looking for a re-election on the strength of the National Democratic Alliance's policies and programmes for a range of sectors, from industries to agriculture. The latest announcement for poor farmers, a direct cash transfer scheme, was made in this year's interim budget and the first installment of Rs 2,000 has already reached some beneficiaries.

The Modi government has been maintaining that among the decisions it has taken, demonetisation and introduction of the national tax GST were the boldest that have benefited the people, despite the opposition's criticism that both these policies have done more harm than good.

"I have never indulged into caste politics or nepotism. Sometimes, I joke with the people, what I did in five years was just a trailer. They are yet to see the full movie," said the BJP leader who analysts maintain is seen to be an agreeable person among both the ruling and opposition ranks. He said he has no wish of becoming prime minister.

Last month, Mr Gadkari said he was getting calls from non-BJP parties, including Congress workers, wishing him success in the elections as he has "worked for all irrespective of their caste, religion, language and party affiliation".

"I think there can be a difference of ideas but there should not be differences among people and that is true for political opponents too," the Union Transport Minister told NDTV. "We believe in samajwad, samyawad, punjiwad (socialism, equality, capitalism). People are disappointed in these three aspects... But our party is trying to ensure rasthravad (nationalism) and good governance."

Last month, Mr Gadkari had said he will win the national elections with a bigger margin than in 2014, adding he started development projects worth Rs 70,000 crore in the constituency.