Don't touch anyone's feet, Gadkari tells BJP workers

Don't touch any colleague's feet in order to go up the party ladder, BJP president Nitin Gadkari said Thursday. Concerned over a culture of patronage, Gadkari declared at the party's National Council meeting here: "There will be no protocol in the party... I am ordering it."

Citing his own example, Gadkari said if an ordinary worker like him could become the party president, others too had hope of moving up the ranks. "If you deserve it, you will get it... Work hard and add to your weight," he told the meeting, including leaders and some 1,200 delegates.

He asked party colleagues not to "touch anybody's feet" in the party in future. Concerned over infighting in various state units and at nationally, Gadkari urged party workers to come together.

He said the BJP had been out of power since 2004 and there was need to change the image of the party so that it could move from being "a party of opposition to a party of good governance".

Expressing hope that the BJP would form the next Indian government, Gadkari said the party would unveil its India Vision 2025 document for the long term development of the country by the year end.

He said BJP was not opposed to economic reforms but would not allow FDI in multi-brand retail. "We will not let FDI in multi-brand retail. It is against farmers and small traders."