Addressing his first public rally in Vidarbha after becoming the BJP president, Rajnath Singh assured his predecessor Nitin Gadkari — who he said was falsely implicated in a corruption case — that he would never make him feel like a past president. Describing Gadkari as "sensitive and large-hearted" and a "younger brother", in response to the latter's "elder brother" reference, Singh said that Gadkari was not only a regional leader but also that of the entire nation. "I would never have allowed Gadkari to resign if he were in Delhi when he announced his decision to quit. I was repeatedly telling him that he would become the president. You may or may not be the party president, but the whole country will be with you," Singh said addressing a rally of farmers and farm labourers.