Gadkari says he won`t return to state politics

Nagpur: Union Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday ruled out the possibility of his return to Maharashtra politics in the wake of sudden demise of Union Rural Development Minister Gopinath Munde.

"Initially I was not interested in central politics in Delhi, and now I am not interested to leave Delhi and come to Maharashtra politics," said Gadkari, who hails from Nagpur. He was replying to a question at a `Meet the Press` programme here on whether he would like to return to state politics to lead the BJP in the assembly elections due in October. Munde, Maharashtra BJP`s tallest mass leader and architect of its impressive victory in Lok Sabha elections, was killed in a car crash in Delhi on June 3. On the demand for creation of separate Vidarbha, he said it would require two-third majority in the Parliament and a consensus with other political parties in Delhi. Listing his priorities, Gadkari said his ministry has taken up seriously the clean Ganga river project, which is costing Rs one lakh crores. The work is expected to commence within four months. The minister expressed keen interest in operating inland waterways in Ganga from Allahabad to Hooghly.