Advocating the need for inducting people from Congress and NCP for increasing BJP's base, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said that said that BJP's Midas touch can transform the people of such background.

Addressing the two-day state executive meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party state unit being held at Pimpri-Chinchwad, Gadkari said that BJP can't bring a new vote bank like Alibaba's treasure. He said that party can't expand without eating into Congress and NCP votes. He said that many people have been questioning the induction of people from Congress-NCP with criminal background and allayed the worry saying "BJP ha Paris ahe ani ​amhi Valyacha Valmiki karun daakhavu' which meant 'BJP with its Midas touch can transform such persons in to saints'.

The two-day meeting is being chaired by state unit president Raosaheb Danve was also attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, all the ministers and all the Union Ministers from Maharashtra including Prakash Javadekar, Piyush Goyal, Hansraj Ahir, Subhash Bhamare. The district unit presidents, elected representatives and office bearers were also present.

Asking the party cadre to accept victory in recent local body polls with humility, Gadkari said that those who think of being bigger than the party are isolated and don't remain with the party. He said that country has shown the face of defeat to even Indira Gandhi and warned people about considering themselves bigger than party. He asked the elected representatives to maintain restraint from displaying big flex boards and seek candidature for their sons or daughters.

Giving an example of party workers becoming grounded, he said that those who were moving in the air conditioned cars and never bothered for the common man are now bringing out Sangharsh Yatras and taking it to streets.

Commenting on election results in Delhi, Gadkari said that party had thoughtfully avoided giving tickets to known faces since there was anger among people about same people being repeated time and again. He said that Delhi results have shown that people can make and break you which is why those who won 95% success are now swept out of power by people.

Criticising the Congress-NCP for farmers' suicides, Gadkari said that during the previous government's rule, the agricultural growth rate was negative. He said that after the BJP government came to power, the agricultural growth rate has reached 12.5% and unless there is 50% irrigation in state, the farmers' suicides would continue to be a reality. He asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to increase agricultural growth rate to above 20% by taking all necessary measures for the same.