Modi opens up on becoming PM, Godhra riots, Sonia Gandhi

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is downplaying his prime ministerial ambitions, even though he is widely acknowledged as one of the prime contenders for the job if BJP comes to power in the next general elections in 2014. As he criss-crosses Gujarat on his much-hyped Vivekananda Yatra he spoke to CNN-IBN on whether he wanted to use his  mass support to make the transition from Gujarat to Delhi.

On his opinion on Nitin Gadkari’s observation that he was one of the seven candidates for the Prime Minister’s post: “I want to ask the media if the people of this country have assigned you the task of finding a Prime Minister. 6 crores Gujaratis have given me a responsibility and I will put in all my efforts for Gujarat.”

On whether Gujarat would remain his focus: “The 2012 elections will see the grand victory of BJP in Gujarat. More than any previous elections, after this win I will be more focused on developing Gujarat into a dream state so that people can say Divyabhava Gujarat Nirman.”

On whether the ghost of Godhra riots still haunt him: “You have a 24-hour news channel and all the time to debate over this. My best wishes are with you.”

On attacking Sonia Gandhi over expenses

I have never questioned the expenses on her health, the newspapers in July printed  this news from PTI and I said that the Indian govt should give a clarification on this amount.

I said if my information from the papers is wrong then I will apologise but PMO  answered about her health expenses not  her foreign trip expenses. The RTI activist Ramesh Verma printed in our local paper that he got information from 8 embassies across the world and they all gave different amounts ranging from Rs 17 to Rs 35 lakhs, so this would mean that the PMO is not supporting the RTI.

On whether the expenditure on Sonia Gandhi’s trips was highly exaggerated

That is why I am saying that the PMO should reveal the correct figures so that Sonia-ji’s reputation doesn’t suffer.

However, he chose to maintain a stony silence and wave at the crowds when asked whether he would apologise for the 2002 Gujarat riots and whether he would campaign in Bihar despite the unpleasant relationship he shared with the state’s chief minister Nitish Kumar.