Gadkari to address rallies in Surat today

BJP president Nitin Gadkari, who is facing allegations of irregularities in investments in his Purti Group companies, will visit Surat on Monday to address a couple of public meetings. He will be addressing rallies in Udhna and Limbayat constituencies. In Limbayat, unrest is simmering among party workers over the nomination of Sangitaben Patil as BJP candidate.

Gadkari will be coming at time when a few senior BJP leaders have raised the pitch for his resignation from the top party post in the wake of these allegations.

Confirming that the BJP chief would be visiting Surat, BJP spokesman I K Jadeja said there was no question of Gadkari skipping his campaign schedule once it was announced officially.

He would not comment if the commotion in the party over demand for Gadkari's resignation would have any bearing on the Gujarat campaign.

An argument that may be made for absence of top leaders like L K Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Yashwant Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha could be the parliament session being in progress. However, a BJP release has listed a number of other MPs who will be

campaigning in Gujarat, including Mansukh Vasava, Rajendrasinh Rana and Shankarbhai Vegad.

The release said other leaders like Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh will address two meetings in Rajkot, and Rajya Sabha member Smriti Irani will be addressing public meetings at Gadhada and Botad towns of Bhavnagar district on Monday. Former Union Minister and BJP general secretary Vijay Goyal will campaign at Dasada (Patdi) and Dhrangadhra in Surendranagar, and Viramgam in Ahmedabad district.

Former minister Joel Oram will address meetings in Nandod and Dediapada of Narmada district while Kisan Morcha leader Om Prakash Dhankar will be in Dhoraji (Rajkot) and Palaswa (Junagadh) to address public meetings.

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