Gadkari, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was attending the convocation function of the Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (MPKV) Agricultural University when he suddenly fainted.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari. (Photo: IANS) [Representational image.]
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari collapsed during a function in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar on Friday. Gadkari, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was attending the convocation function of the Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (MPKV) Agricultural University when he suddenly fainted.
Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, who was standing next to Gadkari, reacted quickly to prevent the 61-year-old Union Minister of Road Transport, Shipping and Highways from falling.
Other dignitaries presented on the dais rushed to Gadkari’s aid. Visuals on local Marathi news channel TV9 Marathi showed Gadkari seated on a chair and people offering water to him.
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An ambulance was called and Gadkari was attended to by a team of doctors. Following medical attention at a hospital, Gadkari’s condition was described as “stable” by BJP colleagues.
Gadkari had addressed the ceremony and returned to his seat. He had stood up for the national anthem when he collapsed and stumbled.
The Minister, who holds one of the most important portfolios in the Modi government, had on Thursday warned road contractors of dire consequences if they indulged in corrupt practices.
He had said that if roads were found to be in bad condition, he would run a bulldozer over the contractor concerned. His comments came hours after the Supreme Court said that the over 14,000 deaths due to potholes – higher than those in terror attacks – was “unacceptable”.
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