BJP leaders praise Modi for Gujarat development

Ahmedabad: Chief Minister Narendra Modi today received a pat on the back from national-level BJP leaders for “taking Gujarat forward on the development path”. Former BJP president Rajnath Singh, who addressed a public rally in Bhavnagar, claimed that Gujarat was the only highly-developed state in the country. “Gujarat has become a model state in the country and for that every credit should go to chief minister Narendra Modi,” Singh said during campaigning for Purshottam Solanki. Ironically, the state Fisheries minister is facing charges in Rs 400 crore fisheries scam. He is pitted against Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Shaktisinh Gohil for the Bhavnagar Rural Assembly constituency. [caption id=“attachment_535103” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  AFP[/caption] Singh also addressed public rallies at Bhavnagar Rural, Bhavnagar East and Bhavnagar West. Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda, who addressed an election rally at Gandevi in Surat, heaped praises on Modi for bringing “widespread development” in Gujarat. Senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu slammed the Congress-led UPA government at Centre while addressing a rally in Bharuch. He alleged Congress of doing mere a lip service for the poor but actually working for the rich. “Congress party has words for poor and deeds for the rich,” Venkaiah said. The ruling BJP organised political rallies at 55 venues across Saurashtra and South Gujarat simultaneously today in which party’s top leaders appealed to the voters to once again elect the Modi government. Other top BJP leaders who addressed public rallies included BJP Rajya Sabha MP Arun Jaitley, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, BJP spokesperson Balbir Punj, party vice president and leader from Orissa Jual Oram. Addressing a rally in Surat, Chouhan said “In this Assembly elections, development was the main issue and development in the state has made Modi famous globally”. Gujarat will go to polls in two phases on December 13 and 17. Justifying Modi for not installing Lokayukta in the state, Chouhan said, “In Madhya Pradesh, Lokayukta became necessity as Congress had ruled the state for past 10 years while in Gujarat under Modi’s leadership there is not corruption and hence Lokayukta is not needed here”. Modi has been often criticised by opposition Congress for dragging his feet on appointment of Lokayukta in Gujarat. Chouhan addressed rallies in Olpad, Karanj and Majura in Surat. Jaitley addressed rallies in Jamnagar district in the late evening. PTI