Narendra Modi is not my competitor

BJP’s prime ministerial candidate L K Advani has said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was not his "heir apparent" or a competitor although he may be party's most popular leader right now.

In an interview whether Modi was 'standing above the other leaders of the second generation in the BJP' and if he was 'heir apparent', Advani replied, 'No, I would not say so, especially when we have string of chief ministers who have been performing so well.'

To a question as to whether the Gujarat chief minister was the most popular leader after him, Advani replied, 'Why after me? He may be the most popular leader right now.'

The 82-year-old also sought to downplay the 'youth card' saying, 'I do not attach much importance to the so-called youth card. I do not think age is a handicap as long as one is fit. There is experience you bring with age.'

Describing the party's approach in 2004 general elections as 'complacent' due to 'overconfidence' resulting in major debacle, the former deputy prime minister said: 'Now I say it is a good thing for the party that the overconfidence has gone. The defeat in the Rajasthan and Delhi assembly elections are also something that makes us works harder.'

However, he did not give further details. He also totally ruled out any possibility of Congress-BJP tie-up, saying: 'I don't think it is in the realm of possibility in our country now.'

But Advaniji, my suggestion is: please BE CAREFULL from Narendra Modi..

Modi gives credit to Congress for Oscar to ‘Slumdog’

Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi said the Congress had a big role to play in Slumdog Millionaire sweeping the Oscars, at his maiden public rally in Thane, Maharashtra.

Narendra Modi, who is also the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Maharashtra election in-charge said that the 60 years of Congress reign in the country had given rise to slums. "Without Congress there would not be slums and without slums there would not be any Slumdog Millionaire and no Oscars," he said at his public rally at the Thane's Central Ground.

"Gujarat has become a benchmark for development in the country. Gujarat and Maharashtra were one state till 1960; if Gujarat can achieve then so can Maharashtra," said Modi.

Wearing his trademark half-sleeve khadi Kurta, Modi's speech was in essential a battle cry to vanquish the Congress rule at the Centre, however his target of ridicule was not Sonia Gandhi but Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar. Referring to the remarks made by Pawar during a public meeting at Nashik the day before, Modi said : "Leaders like Pawar and others from the Congress know that to win the election they have to mention my name. Pawar says that the path followed by Gujarat is not needed in Maharashtra. Pawar fears Gujarat's progress and the fact that Gujarat has 24 hour power even in the villages."

Replying to the Pawar's remark at Nashik that people of Gujarat want Gandhiji's and not Modi's Gujarat, Modi said: "Pawar has insulted Gandhi, one of greatest leaders, by comparing him with a small person like me." He added that Gujarat was fulfilling Gandhiji's dream of Ram Rajya by empowering the villages. "For Pawar, Gandhiji is only a medium of attaining power," he quipped.

Is Modi the next Prime Minister?

Is Modi the next Prime Minister?

IF the opinions of some of Internet users are anything to go by, Narendra Modi should not be the next chief minister of Gujarat. Instead, he should be the next Prime Minister of India. Free social networking sites on the Internet is galore with communities and postings, which project Modi as BJP’s best bet for prime ministerial candidate for the general elections in 2009.

A posting in Orkut, a social networking site, apparently sent from Meerut, said, “It is time Modi is promoted as PM and not just as CM of Gujarat. A thumping victory in Gujarat can force the BJP leadership to hand over the mantle to Modi. This will help BJP to encash on Modi’s popularity amongst the Hindus and save their own seats and deposits in 2009 elections. Uttar Pradesh election results have shown what is going to happen in future. Gujaratis must not miss this opportunity.”

Another scrap, by an apparent non-resident Gujarati from New Jersey, said, “Missing BJP here in America. A great personality is handling BJP Government in Gujarat, so have created this community in order to honour the one and only courageous and talented Mr Modi and his ministry. Yeh Woh Modi Hai Jisne Hame Hamare Dushmano Ke Samne Sar Uthake Jina Sikhaya, Jo Hamare Gujarat Me Ham Hi Pe Raj Kar Rahe The. (Modi has taught us to face our enemies and live with pride). So, make him the next Prime Minister.”

Some entries also provide a list of reasons why Modi is the best candidate for the next PM. One list read:

“1. He has stood by Hindutava no matter what the situation. He is loyal and must be rewarded.

2. He has stood by the party unlike Uma Bharti, who is also a popular leader but had spoken against the party.

3. Gujarat is India’s best state under Modi’s leadership.

4. Modi is an OBC and I think the time has come that we should bring OBC candidates to lead Bharat.”

BJP Supporter’s Group, a community in Orkut, with a membership of well over 8,000, had carried out a poll on prime ministerial candidates. Out of the total 365 votes casted, Modi had a clear majority. However, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee President Bharat Singh Solanki said, “These are the manifestations of his propaganda. How much of public support he really has will be seen only after the elections.”

Suspended BJP leader Gordhan Zadaphia went a step ahead. “He (Modi) is a master of manipulation. With the kind of fabricated picture he has projected outside, people are bound to get influenced,” he said.

Narendra Modi – The Lion of Gujarat

Narendra Modi was born on 17th September 1950 in a small town of Vadnagar in Mehsana district in North Gujarat in India.

Narendra Modi completed his schooling in Vadnagar and did his masters degree in Political Science from Gujarat University. Even as a boy he was interested in social services. During the Indo-Pak war in early sixties, he went to help the soldiers in transit in railway stations. In 1967 he offered voluntary services to the people affected in Narmada Tapti floods. He continued serving the victims of major disasters in various parts of the country in his student and adult life.

Narendra Modi's abilities and leadership qualities were seen in the early days of his student life when he became the student leader of Akhil Bhartiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (All India Students Council). He played a prominent role in the anticorruption movement in 1974 in Gujarat.

He entered politics in 1987 by joining the Bharatiya Janata Party. Within a year, he was elevated to the level of General Secretary of the Gujarat unit of the party. In 1995 he was made the National Secretary of the party in-charge of five major states in India – a rare distinction. He traveled extensively through out the world, which helped him to develop a global perspective.

After carving a niche for himself in the national politics as a master strategist, he took over as the Chief Minister of Gujarat on 7th October 2001.

Narendra , who is ever capable of turning an adversity into an opportunity made use of his inexperience to start afresh, on a clean slate without the burden of the past. His beginner mind was a blessing in disguise for him to learn things without any bias and without the need to unlearn the dead past. Though he was a wandering type of Sangh Pracharak he had a wealth of national and international exposure with him. Immediately after the swearing in ceremony he swung into action. His administrative acumen, clear vision and integrity brought him a landslide victory in the general elections held in December 2002 and he was sworn in as the Chief Minister for the second term on 22nd December 2002.

The biggest challenge which Narendra Modi had to face when he took over as the Chief Minster was the reconstruction of the earthquake affected areas. Bhuj was a city of rubble. People were living in temporary shelters without basic infrastructure. Earthquake recovery became his first priority. His dynamic vision and quick decisions have put Gujarat Reconstruction Programme as one of the best reconstruction programmes on the global map and set a benchmark for reconstruction and disaster recovery, not only in India, but also in the entire Asia. Earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation in Gujarat achieved global recognition.

Narendra Modi as soon as he took over as the Chief Minister focused quickly on integrated overall development. Along with industrial growth and economic development, he also focused on rural development, improvement in education, education of girl child, development of the deprived, agricultural development, science and technology and disaster management. Gujarat had always focused on industrial growth, but Narendra Modi made an attempt to correct the imbalance in development by focusing appropriately on social sectors, integrating social and economic growth. He put Gujarat on the road to integrated development with a special focus on five sectors namely – education, water, energy, human resources and safety & security.

Narendra Modi quickly shifted the gear from government centered administration to people centered administration. People's participation became the foundation of all development programs. Efficient application of information technology for governance, focus on agriculture, human resources development, and delivery of health services, rural development and thrust on post disaster recovery has made Gujarat emerge as the leader among the Indian states in spite of a series of disasters.

Attention and priority given by Narendra Modi to education as compared to any other past Chief Minister of the state is also noteworthy. His realization that no amount of economic, industrial or commercial resurgence can be sustained on a long-term basis without the foundation of proper academic and professional education has made him re-work the whole system of education in Gujarat state. Successive annual campaigns for enrolment of all children in schools, with a special focus on enrolment of the girl child have brought lakhs of children back to school, which otherwise would have been left out. The concern of the Narendra Modi for education of the girl child is reflected in the fact that he has specially created a fund called “Kanya Kelavani Nidhi”. Now it is a well-known fact that all the gifts received by Narendra Modi are auctioned and the funds are credited to this account.

Narendra Modi has been constantly innovating for improving the efficiency and productivity in various sectors. One such innovative step is the decision to involve private sector for development of huge wastelands. Another innovative step is celebration of traditional festivals, and covert them into events of major tourist attraction. In a mobile world in order to make citizens really mobile, roaming ration cards and roaming school cards have been introduced. Provision of soil health cards to the farmers is another innovation to help farmers improve the land quality and ultimately agricultural productivity. “Sujalam Sufalam” scheme launched to create a grid of water resources in Gujarat is another innovative step towards water conservation and its appropriate utilization.

Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor's meet is an innovative bi-annual submit organized by Narendra Modi to attract investment from rest of the country and abroad. Narendra Modi in his five years of rule has ensured all round development of Gujarat in all areas including agriculture, rural development, education and industrial development. His vision is to make Gujarat emerge as the leader, not only in the Indian sub-continent, but also in the entire Asia to compete with Japan, Taiwan, and China.

Narendra Modi looks beyond the immediate gratification for the purpose of getting votes. The programmes such as Krushi Mahotsav, River Grid, Chiranjeevi & Matru Vandana schemes, schemes for reduction in infant mortality rate, Beti Bachavo campaign (save the girl child), Jyotigram, Karmayogi Abhiyan etc. aim at multi-dimensional development of Gujarat in the long-term. The vision, concept and implementation of such programmes make Narendra Modi rise as a statesman, who thinks of the next generation in the backdrop of politicians who think about the next elections.

UN Sasakawa Award for disaster reduction, CAPAM award for innovation in governance, UNESCO award, CSI award for e-governance, No.1 state in industrial investment (MOUs), No.1 among major health care services, availability and utility of infrastructure, Indiatech award in power sector etc. is an indicative list of what Gujarat achieved under the able Chief Ministership of Narendra Modi. The very fact that Narendra Modi has been ranked as the number one Chief Minister by the public for the second consecutive year speaks volumes about his achievements.

Narendra Modi is a powerful orator – avid reader and an original thinker. Apart from numerous articles and Essays, he also has authored three books.