Indore:
Dressed in his usual shirt and pant, Nitin Gakdari grabbed a mic at the BJP Conclave in Indore and belted out a Bollywood song. Five thousand party workers watched their President's rendition of Manna Dey's
Zindagi, Kaise ye Paheli Haaye from the film
Anand.
L K Advani, in the audience, smiled weakly while the party's chief minister from Madhya Pradesh joined in the live performance. (
In Pics: BJP's Indore conclave)
It was an unusual way for a president to address his party, but Gadkari's agenda is equally atypical.
Backed by the BJP's parent body, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), Gadkari wants to renounce many of the party's political planks, now three decades old.
The new mission sounds suspiciously Congress-inspired - exclusionary politics is out, inclusiveness is in. (
Read & Watch: Gadkari pulls a Rahul ahead of BJP's big meet)
Because the Ram Janmabhoomi issue alienated Muslims, Gadkari has made a giant new offer to them: "I appeal to Muslims to be generous to the sentiments of Hindus and we will help build a mosque."
That sort of talk may not resonate in all section of the party. Rajnath Singh, who Gadkari has replaced as President said, "If the BJP abandons Hindutva, the BJP will be finished."
Gadkari also wants no more opposition to Article 370 that gives Jammu and Kashmir autonomous status.
And finally, the BJP's upper caste bias will be diluted in favour of Dalits. "Social equality is not just part of our political strategy, but belief. There will be no compromise," says Gadkari. (
Read: Gadkari's pro-Dalit course correction for BJP)
The pro-Dalit, pro-minority stand has the BJP venturing onto traditional Congress turf. But there's also the Gadkari touch now.
He's pushing a no-infighting policy, good governance in BJP-ruled states, and dedicated social work in Congress-ruled ones.