AHMEDABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a new Gujarati slogan for the poll-bound state: Aa Gujarat mai banavyu che (I have made this Gujarat), saying in the next month’s polls, Gujarat will purge itself of divisive forces that have spread hatred in over two decades.
The state will vote in two phases on December 1 and 5 and the counting is due December 8. Addressing his first election rally in his home state at Kaprada of Valsad district after the announcement of poll dates, Modi prompted the people to chant the new slogan several times during his half-an-hour speech.
Hitting out at the Opposition, Modi said due to the divisive politics of Congress, the poor and backwards could never get their basic needs. “The divisive forces that have indulged in spreading hatred, those who have tried to defame and insult Gujarat have been repeatedly isolated. In this election too, they will meet the same fate,” said Modi.
Without taking any names, Modi said the people of Gujarat have identified a “gang” working against Gujarat, which always tries to defame the state. He added that though such people have been trying hard for the last two decades, the people of Gujarat never believed them.
“Those who try to defame Gujarat are surprised why people of Gujarat have not believed their false propaganda. This is because the people of this state have built Gujarat with hard work and they will never allow someone to harm the state,” said Modi.
The PM said the BJP’s victory in the polls would be bigger this time. “Sitting in Delhi, I am getting inputs that BJP will win Gujarat with a record margin this time. I have come here to beat my past records. I have told Gujarat BJP that I am ready to give as much time as possible to you (for campaigning),” said Modi, who served as the chief minister of the state before becoming the prime minister in 2014.
Modi also highlighted how the tribal communities of the area have reaped the benefits from the development that has taken place in Gujarat. “For me, ‘A’ stands for Adivasi...(tribals). It is a fortunate moment for me that my first election meeting is starting with the blessings of my tribal brothers and sisters,” said Modi.
“A big change has taken place in the tribal society. My tribal brothers and sisters are speaking with all their might that this Gujarat is ‘Garvi Gujarat’. You may remember what the condition of electricity and
water was years back. People were forced to eat before 6 pm, but today, power supply is maintained for 24 hours,” he said. “The entire tribal belt stretching from Umargam in south Gujarat to Ambaji in the north now has five medical colleges,” he said.
Addressing the youth and first-time voters, the PM said they should make use of the various opportunities that have come up in the state. In the 2017 elections, the BJP had won 99 seats out of the total 182 while the Congress bagged 77. The BJP’s peak performance in Gujarat came in the December 2002 elections under Modi when the party had bagged 127 seats.