Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said that Union roads minister Nitin Gadkari will contest from Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency in 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Fadnavis on Friday confirmed, “Nitin Gadkari’s name will be first in the list of Maharashtra.” Gadkari’s name did not feature in the first list owing to the BJP’s ongoing talks with alliance partners. On Monday, Gadkari had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Nagpur airport just days after the first list was released though the party dismissed the meeting as part of protocol. Gadkari, who is among the top four Cabinet ministers, was expected to feature in the first list along with Modi, Union Home minister Amit Shah and Union defence minister Rajnath Singh. State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, “Gadkari will win Nagpur constituency with a larger margin. He will poll 65% of the total votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.” But Bawankule said the formal announcement of the BJP’s candidates would “take some time”. “The formal talks with alliance partners led by CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, and the BJP is still underway. After a couple of days, things will be formalised,” he said.
