Sonia leads Cong appreciation of Gadkari

NEWDELHI: Senior Congress leader and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi took even her party colleagues by surprise on Thursday when she started appreciating the achievements of Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari in Parliament.

During the Question Hour, Gadkari answered a few questions in which he gave a detailed description of the works that have been done by his ministry and said, “I must say here that all MPs, cutting across political affiliations, have been appreciating me for the work being done by my ministry in their respective conthumping stituencies.” As Gadkari completed the answers amid thumping of desks by ruling BJP members, BJP leader from Madhya Pradesh Ganesh Singh stood up and told speaker Sumitra Mahajan that the House should appreciate the “wonderful” works being carried out by the road transport minister.

Sonia Gandhi, who was patiently listening to Gadkari from her seat, smiled and started the desk — a sign of deep appreciation in Parliament. She also nodded in agreement to some of the comments Gadkari made. Other Congress MPs, including party’s floor leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, too started thumping the desks appreciating Gadakri’s work.

There were reports in August last year that Sonia Gandhi had written to Gadkari thanking him for his “positive response” to road issues she had raised relating to her constituency Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier this month, Congress president Rahul Gandhi too had complimented Gadkari for his remarks that “one who cannot take care of home, cannot manage the country”, saying he has guts and should also comment on the Rafale deal, “farmers distress and destruction of institutions”.

“Gadkari Ji, compliments. You are the only one in the BJP with some guts. Please also comment on: The Rafale scam and Anil Ambani, farmers’ distress and destruction of institutions,” he tweeted and tagged with it the report on Gadkari’s comments.

The Union minister had made the remarks last week while addressing former workers of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in Nagpur. Incidentally, Rahul Gandhi was seen exchanging notes with Gadkari while being seated along with him during the Republic Day parade at Rajpath.

SONIA GANDHI ALSO NODDED IN AGREEMENT TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS NITIN GADKARI MADE