Bihar polls a litmus test for Rahul: Gadkari

Mumbai: BJP chief Nitin Gadkari today said that Bihar elections will be a "litmus test" for Rahul Gandhi and that there was "no Rahul charisma".

"There is no Rahul charisma. Congress is a proprietary concern and BJP is a democratic party. Rahul will have to go through the Bihar litmus test," Gadkari said in a web chat at the state BJP office here.

He was asked how the BJP plans to face the challenge posed by "Rahul's charisma".

In the last six months, Gadkari claimed BJP's poll strength has been increasing, "be it at state level or at municipal corporations right from Gujarat to Daman and Diu".

To a query whether BJP should have a face like Atal Behari Vajpayee, Gadkari said "sadly Vajpayeeji cannot contribute to the party because of his health. There is a younger crop of leaders who are competent".

Gadkari said, "Any leader who shows his worth will be given an opportunity. We have no dearth of talent."

Asked why isn't BJP projecting Narendra Modi as prime ministerial candidate, Gadkari said "at the time of the 2014 elections, the highest body in the party will decide who will be the fittest candidate".