'Film abhi baaki hain': Nitin Gadkari to query on his role in 2029

Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday replied to a query on his role in 2029 (general elections) by claiming what was seen in the past 11 years was just a "news reel" and the "real film" was yet to come.

The senior BJP leader, however, asserted that the party decides on the responsibilities for its functionaries, adding that he would work in whatever capacity it decides for him.

"Abhi tak jo hua hain woh to news reel thi. Asli film shuru hona aur baaki hain (what you have seen so far is just a news reel, the real film is yet to begin)," he said in interview with Uday Nirgudkar here on 11 years of the Narendra Modi government.


"The party decides the responsibilities of the worker and what work he will do. I will carry out whatever responsibility is given to me," Gadkari said while emphasising he has never published his political biodata and nor has he ever asked supporters to organise grand welcome events for him at airports.

Gadkari said his personal wish was to work towards stopping farmer suicides in Vidarbha.

"Nowadays, I work more on agriculture and other social initiatives rather than road works," the Union minister for road transport and highways pointed out.

Asked why India's per capita income was not among the top 10 in the world, the Union minister said the country's population was to blame.

Extending support to the population control bill, he said, "This is not a religious or linguistic issue. This is an economic issue. Despite so much development having taken place, the fruits are not to be seen. The reason is increasing population," he asserted.

He brushed aside a query on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sudhakar Badgujar joining the BJP by stating that he did not know him and had never met him.

During the interview, Gadkari highlighted various achievements of the Modi government, which has been in power since 2014.