Mumbai, December 18: A top Maharashtra farmer leader, who is heading a an agrarian panel constituted by the BJP-led state government, has appealed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to replace Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Nitin Gadkari as the PM face in the run-up to 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Kishore Tiwari, the chairman of Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavlamban Mission (VNSSM), said the BJP would meet the same fate in 2019 as it met in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan if PM Modi and Amit Shah are given a free-hand to run the party. Vijay Mallya Can't be Called Thief For One Loan Default, Deserves One Chance: Nitin Gadkari.

Tiwari's remarks comes on a day when Modi is in Maharashtra to inaugurate a slew of infrastructure projects in Mumbai and Pune.

In his letter to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and General Secretary Bhaiyyaji Suresh Joshi, Tiwari said the BJP's defeat in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh was the direct outcome of "arrogant leaders" who implemented devastating decisions like demonetisation, Goods and Services Tax (GST), fuel prices hike and other anti-people measures.

"Leaders who pursue an extremist and dictatorial attitude in the party and government are dangerous for the society and the country... This has been witnessed before and if history is not to be repeated, hand over the reins to Gadkari for the 2019 polls," Tiwari said.

On December 11, the VNSSM chief, who is accorded a Ministerial status, had categorically asked the BJP to "get rid of both Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah" for their anti-farmers and anti-people policies, which led to the party's stunning defeats in the just concluded elections.

Accusing Modi and Shah of upturning the good works done by the former BJP governments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Tiwari said they (Modi-Shah) seem to be interested "only in grandiose Bullet Trains and Metro Rail projects".

In his letters to the RSS top brass, Tiwari said that considering the "dictatorial approach" of Modi and Shah, which has unleashed fear in the country, it was imperative to have an acceptable and gentle leader like Gadkari, who can take along all viewpoints and friendly parties, evolve consensus and remove fear among people.

He said the 61-year-old Gadkari, a staunch BJP-RSS activist since decades, was "adequately qualified" for the top post since he has also headed the BJP as National President, besides ministerial capacities in Maharashtra and now at the Centre.

(With IANS inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 18, 2018 05:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).