MUMBAI: On Sunday,  Union minister Nitin Gadkari, who recently made headlines with a series of mysterious comments seen as hidden messages to the BJP leadership, had more to say. His words delighted the Congress and Asaduddin Owaisi, who declared that Mr Gadkari's message was for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Mr Gadkari said in Mumbai that, "Political leaders are fond of spinning dreams, but if they cannot deliver it, they may take a beating from the people. So promise only what is possible,"  "He is not one of those who spin dreams. Whatever He says is with 100 per cent authority," While, he was seen sitting and chatting with Rahul Gandhi at Saturday's Republic Day function.

Asaduddin Owaisi, the chief of AIMIM, tweeted

@PMOIndia sir @nitin_gadkari is showing you the mirror ,and in a very subtle way ........ https://t.co/W8CvyC2Rmr

— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) January 27, 2019

 "Union minister Nitin Gadkari has launched an attack on PM Narendra Modi... Modi ji, the people are coming," tweeted the Madhya Pradesh Congress.

After the BJP's recent setback in the heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, Mr Gadkari had said, "Leadership should have the vrutti (tendency) to own up the defeat and failures. Loyalty of the leadership towards the organisation will not be proved till the time it owns up responsibility for defeat".

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Mr Gadkari has also rubbished rumours about him replacing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, fuelled by a letter from a former leader to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, the ideological mentor of the BJP. There have also been reports that the Shiv Sena has offered to support the BJP if Mr Gadkari is given the top job in place of PM Modi after the elections.

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