Who is Nitin Gadkari? Former minister for road transport and highways joins Modi 3.0 cabinet

Veteran BJP leader Nitin Gadkari was among those who took oath as minister in Narendra Modi's cabinet on Sunday (June 9) as the Indian prime minister began his historic consecutive third term in office.

Gadkari was formerunion minister for Road Transport and Highways, as well as Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME).

He is also the longest-serving minister for Road Transport & Highways, with his term spanning over nine years.

Gadkari assumed office as a cabinet minister for the second consecutive term on May 30, 2019.

During his first term in Modi government, he hadheld the Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation portfolios from September 3, 2017, until the end of the term.

Among other positions Gadkari held were Minister for Rural Development from June 4, 2014, to November 9, 2014, Minister for Panchayati Raj from June 4, 2014, to November 9, 2014, and Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation from June 4, 2014, to November 9, 2014.

Early life

Nitin Gadkari was born on May 27, 1957, in a Marathi family. Hejoined Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in his teenage years. At 24, he became the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) city president and later was elected secretary of the Nagpur BJP unit.

In 1989, he won his first election to the Maharashtra Legislative Council. Between 1995 and 1999, Nitin Gadkari served as the Minister of Public Works Department (PWD). In this capacity, he oversaw the construction of numerous flyovers in Mumbai and played a pivotal role in the development of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

Gadkari was the youngest-ever BJP National President, he headed the BJP from 2009 to 2013.

Education

Gadkari completed his post-graduation in commerce, in addition to studying law and earning a diploma in business management from Nagpur University.

Election wins

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Nitin Gadkari won the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat by a margin of 285,000. He defeated Vilas Muttemwar, the then Congress MP.

While in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Gadkari contested again from Maharashtra's Nagpur constituency and defeated his closest rival Nana Patole of the Indian National Congress (INC) by a margin of 216,009 votes.

In 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Gadkari won the election from Nagpur constituency in Maharashtra with a margin of around 1.37 lakh votes against Congress’ Vikas Thakre.

(With inputs from agencies)