NANDED: Senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari wanted to "teach a lesson" to his party colleague Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra minister Vijay Wadettiwar claimed during an election rally in the state on Thursday.
While the Congress leader implied that Gadkari was talking about Fadnavis, Gadkari himself denied that he had ever said anything against the former chief minister.
Wadettiwar was campaigning for Congress candidate Jitesh Antapurkar for byelection to Deglur Assembly constituency in central Maharashtra's Nanded district.
"Roads in Nanded will be better now as the Public Works Department Minister (Ashok Chavan) is from Nanded. A few days ago, a meeting was held with Union Minister for Roads and Transport Nitin Gadkari where he agreed to give funds for projects in the state," he said during the rally.
People in Nagpur know that there are two big "faces" (leaders) in that city, that is, Gadkari and Fadnavis, and the two do not get along, he further said.
"Gadkari said into the ear (during the meeting) that he wanted to teach a lesson to him. And he taught a lesson," Wadettiwar said, without specifying who was "him".
But in a statement issued in Nagpur through his personal assistant, Gadkari said he never spoke against Fadnavis.
"I had never said anything to Vijay Wadettiwar in secret. He should not make such irresponsible, false and baseless statements and indulge in mischievous politics," he said.
"Devendra Fadnavis is like my younger brother. Besides, he is an important leader of my party. Speaking ill of each other is the culture of Congress," Gadkari added.
Maharashtra progressed during Fadnavis' tenure as chief minister and he was doing excellent work as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly now, the BJP leader added.
Congress leaders have been sidelined in the coalition government in Maharashtra which includes the Shiv Sena and NCP, and hence they are frustrated and making such statements to sow confusion, he said.