Birthday boy Nitin Gadkari skips taking charge

Transport ministry officials will have to wait until later this week to meet new minister Nitin Gadkari. While Gadkari's colleagues took charge and made statements on Tuesday, he could not assume charge owing to his engagements on his birthday. According to an official of the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH), there is no information about when the newly appointed minister for Road Transport & Highways and Shipping will assume office.

Gadkari, who turned 57 on Tuesday, was supposed to visit Nagpur in the afternoon but took the evening flight for his hometown-constituency due to the first cabinet meeting. "Due to certain personal engagement on his birthday and cabinet meeting, he was not able to take charge on Tuesday as he has to go to Nagpur," a source said. Gadkari is expected to assume office as a minister on Thursday.