Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address four rallies on 29 November in different parts of south Gujarat, where polling for the first phase of Assembly elections will be held on 9 December. On Wednesday, Modi will address poll rallies in Morbi and Prachi villages near Somnath, Palitana in Bhavnagar and at Navsari in Surat city in south Gujarat, Gujarat BJP in-charge Bhupender Yadav told a press conference in Ahmedabad. “Each rally has been organised in such a way that people from five to six surrounding constituencies can also attend it,” Yadav added. [caption id=“attachment_3576147” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
File image of Hardik Patel. AFP[/caption] Sources state that the prime minister will arrive in Morbi at around 11:00 am, while he will reach Prachi village in Somnath at 1:25 pm. His visit to Pali will kick off at 3:30 pm and he will end his tour with a rally at Navsari at 5:30 pm. Modi, who had started his high voltage campaign with rallies on 27 November in Bhuj in Kutch district, Jasdan in Rajkot, Chalala in Amreli and Kadodara near Surat, took on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and the opposition party on issues related to China, Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Hafiz Saeed, the surgical strike as well as corruption. During his campaign in the state in the last few days, Rahul had trained his guns at the Modi-led government over the Rafale fighter aircraft deal, demonetisation and alleged corruption charges on BJP president Amit Shah’s son Jay Shah. In response, Modi slammed the Opposition over its criticism of the Central government. At the Bhuj rally on 27 November, Modi pitched the election as a fight between “trust on development and dynastic politics.” He asked the people of Gujarat not to forgive Congress leaders as they had levelled baseless allegations on the “son of Gujarat” who has a stainless public life. “I want to tell them that I am Modi, who is ready to sell tea but will never commit the sin of selling the entire country,” he said, in an apparent reference to scams during the Congress-led UPA rule. Modi also trained his guns on Rahul, accused him of applauding the release of Hafiz Saeed in Pakistan and asking why he hugged the Chinese ambassador during the Doka La standoff. “You are happy to hug the Chinese ambassador, you are clapping at the release of Hafiz Saeed, you cannot respect Indian Army’s surgical strike… But why did you speak about it? You could have just remained silent,” he said in Bhuj, not specifying how and where Gandhi had hailed Saeed’s release. Modi’s initial speeches in the poll-bound state have already riled up the opposition, with Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma saying that Modi was running away from the real issues. “The prime minister is being emotional just to run away from real issues. Why doesn’t he speak about real issues than of ‘being a son’ and all that? Everybody knows he is from Gujarat. Nobody is denying that. But why go on repeating that instead of talking about development if it has really been carried out in the state,” he said about Modi’s comments on 27 November. It is worth looking forward to how the prime minister will respond to these barbs by the Congress party on Wednesday. The polling for the two-phase elections in the state, having total 182 assembly seats, will take place on 9 and 14 December and votes will be counted on 18 December, the same date as the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections. While 89 seats of Saurashtra and South Gujarat region will go to polls in the first phase, the election in the remaining 93 constituencies in central and northern regions will be held in the second phase. With inputs from agencies
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Gujarat Election 2017 updates: This fight is against BJP's arrogance, says Hardik Patel in Rajkot
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address four rallies on 29 November in different parts of south Gujarat, where polling for the first phase of assembly polls will be held on 9 December
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Show me where is your vikas I will stop my kranti andolan: Hardik Patel challenges BJP
“What is vikas (development), where is vikas, villages don’t have pucca houses, if you recharge phone with 4g data pack you get 2g internet, is this vikas. show me where is vikas and I will suspend my kranti anddolan (movement).
This is not the fight of Patidars alone: Hardik
“This is not just the fight of the Patidar samaj, this is not about Dalits or Kshatriyas. This is the fight of 6 crore Gujaratis. You place a hand on your heart and tell me where is vikas. How many gas cylinders did you get, how much water do you get tell me honestly. This is the fight to defeat their arrogance,” Hardik said.
BJP has always worked to divide society
“They may label me a Congress agent, but they have always divided the society. It was because of them that Patidar samaj was brought on roads, they were the reason Dalits had to fight for their rights,” Hardik said.
“And this is why we are against them,” Hardik said.
Hardik Patel reaches at Rajkot rally
Hardik Patel’s Mahakrishri Sabha becomes talking point amid Congress, BJP’s mega rallies
Meanwhile… Hardik Patel to address rally in Rajkot shortly; huge crowds seen at venue
Modi questions Congress’ commitment to development, GST
“The Congress version of GST places salt, which a poor person wants with expensive cigarettes and alcohol. How can I allow this? Our fight is for giving the poor their rights while Congress fights for the interests of the rich,” Modi said.
Congress loves to question our army: Modi
Narendra Modi, speaking about the Doka La crisis, said that his question to Congress is clear, “Why do you believe the Chinese and not our army and our foreign ministry.”
Modi said that Congress loves to question the army, they questioned the surgical strike too. “They asked for proof, they asked for pictures… should we make a film for them,” Modi asked. He said that they even asked that if our side did have any casualty as our soldiers languished and suffered on border. People who talk like that should not expect votes in Congress.
PM takes a long pause during speech as sounds of azaan echoed in Navsari
As a mark of respect for Muslim prayers (Azaan), prime minister interrupted his speech and took a long pause as people wondered what went wrong. Many in the crowd were seen cheering him, chanting Modi Modi as they waited for the PM to restart his speech. When Modi spoke again, he briefly mentioned that he had stopped as he heard the sounds of Azaan, and continued with his speech.
Congress consumed by hatred for Gujaratis
**"**Congress dislikes Gujarat as they will be defeated here. Victory and defeat are a part of life. There was a time when our party would distribute sweets when we saved our deposits. These things happen in a democracy, Congress should not be consumed by such hatred," Modi said.
Congress love asking me what did I do, I tell them I rounded up corrupt: Modi
“Congress loves asking me- Modi ji what did you do. I want to tell them due to our efforts the corrupt are languishing in jail. They could also have done that but for them fighting corruption is a non-issue,” Modi said.
They ask me questions about terrorism, Pakistan, and surgical strikes. “You tell me who was responsible for the problems at the root at the Kashmir issue. You tell me who is responsible for years of violence,” Modi said.
Congress called Gujaratis donkeys when they wanted vote in UP?
“When they wanted votes in Uttar Pradesh, they referred to us as Gujarat’s donkeys. Now when they have come to ask for votes Gujarat’s people will clear all their accounts and show them their reality,” Modi said.
“There are three elections going on- one in UP local bodies, one in Gujarat and the third one for the Congress President. In the first two the BJP is sure to win. And in the third one, no one except one family will win,” Narendra Modi
Apart from BJP, nobody can win Gujarat elections: Modi
“Take whichever election you may like, Gujarat and saffron are one. In Gujarat election, no one apart from BJP can win and in Congress elections, nobody apart from a Gandhi can contest,” Modi said.
Modi starts addressing Navsari rally
Amid chants of Modi Modi and Bharat Mata ki Jai, the prime minister started address at Navsari. “As far as the eye goes, it looks like Gujarat has donned a saffron sheet.”
Meanwhile, Hardik Patel held show-of-strength rally, 30 kms from PMs rally venue
Hardik Patel, the young leader who rose to fame after the Patidar stir, was addressing a rally just 30 kilometres away from the venue of Modi’s rally in Morbi. Hardik has since been tweeting pictures of crowds assembled at his rally, apparently in a show of strength.
Hardik is too young to contest elections but he has vowed to defeat BJP, and Morba, an industrial town has been voting for the BJP for the past decade but it also has a sizeable Patel population
Rahul Gandhi propagating ‘grand stupid thought’ on GST, says PM Modi
Coming down heavily on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for his Gabbar Singh Tax jibe on GST tax reform, Modi said, “Those who looted nation think only of dacoits… They are propagating grand stupid thought on GST.”
At Palitana rally, Modi accuses Congress of monopolising water tankard business in parched region
Refering to the Congress rule, Modi told a massive gathering in Palitana, “Do you remember the water shortage in the region? This is because the Congress controlled the tanker business. It suited them to have this shortage. The BJP has changed this in the last 22 years. We have made the tanker industry irrelevant.”
Congress hates Modi, Gujarat, and development because they never had to sweat it out in life
“They hate development, they hate Gujarat, they hate Modi and now they hate sweat also. That is because they have never had to sweat it out in life & work hard. They are mocking everyone who works hard. This is their mindset. Such hatred for the poor is shocking: PM Modi in Palitana,” Modi said accusing Congress of being the party of the elites.
PM reiterates ‘real Gandhi’ jibe, says Congress party of varisdar Gandhi
“We belong to the heirs of the fakir Gandhi. And they are the Gandhi varisdar who are born with a golden spoon.They do not know how it feels to walk barefoot and have a stone or thorn hurt your feet. It is upto you to choose which Gandhi you want. The fakir or the one with the golden spoon,” Modi said.
All development in Gujarat has been done by BJP: Yogi Adityanath
Modi accuses Congress of doublespeak on OBC quota
Taking on Congres, which has earned the support of Patidar leader Hardik Patel, Modi said that the Congress is only making promises of OBC reservation to get the community’s vote.
He said that the Congress was the party, which stalled the process of giving OBC commission a constitutional status.
“Congress is seeking votes of OBC communities but they should answer why they did not allow OBC Commission to get Constitutional Status for all these years. We brought in the move, it was passed by Lok Sabha but stalled in the Rajya Sabha, where Congress has majority,” Modi said.
We want to give our OBC Communities their due: Modi in Patidar-dominated area
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dropped veiled hints at considering the demand for reservation, without explicitly naming the Patidar community. He said: “I want to assure you- Congress may try to throw any roadblocks, I am committed to ensure their designs fail. Parliament is meeting soon and we are going to bring that issue on the floor of the House again. We want to give our OBC communities their due.”
Modi is campaigning in Patidar strongholds, which saw the maximum effect of the Patidar quota stir in last year.
Congress has no connect with common man: Modi
“Congress has no neeti (policy) or neta (Leader). It does not have any connection with the common man. How can these people create India’s destiny?” asked Modi as he concluded his speech.
Delhi treasure for common man: Modi
“The Delhi treasury is for the common man. It is for poor people. We believe in engaging with the farmers so we have all these schemes for them,” Modi said.
Modi assures BJP support to OBC communities
Congress kept OROP issue in backburner for 40 years
“For 40 years, the Congress did nothing on One rank One pension. Congress leaders are masters in gossiping. Congress alloted 500 crores. They just duped our soldiers. Congress had no idea of the intricacies of the OROP issue. If they had done some research, then they would have realised that Rs 500 crore was nothing,” Modi said.
Congress destroyed Gujarat with caste politics
“Those who ruled India for 70 years are now asking for my report card. When your family was ruling, there is SC/ST commission. However, we are also giving OBC commission a constitutional status. But you did nothing. Caste politics by Congress destroyed Gujarat. We demanded constitutional status for OBC commission but we received no answer from you,” Modi said in Prachi.
Modi targets Congress over its treatment of Sardar Patel
“Had Sardar Patel not been there, no grand temple would have been in Somnath. So there a people who are reminded of Somnath (Rahul Gandhi and Congress) I want to ask them: Do you know history? Your great grandfather,, grandfather, grandmother. Nehru was not happy with Sardar Patel’s restoration work of Somanth.. Rajendra Babu sent a invite to Nehru for the inauguration. But he got an angry letter,” Modi said in Prachi, a town in Somnath.
Modi on the stage in Prachi
Our aim is to fulfil our goal of ‘sabka sath sabka vikaas’
We are a pro-people government, says Rupani
“Our niyat (intention) is clean. But I cannot say that of the Congress.Their intention is dynasty. It is corruption,” Rupani said.
Vijay Rupani targets Congress
Speaking before Narendra Modi, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani said, “On one hand, there is development. On the other hand, there is anarchy (Congress). On our end, you would experience, sabka saath sabka vikaas. But the Congress only believes in caste politics and dividing the people of Gujarat.
After Modi became the chief minister in October 2001, Congress has been struggling to find an equally strong match to counter him. Under Modi, the BJP won three consecutive Assembly elections, a feat not achieved by any of the chief ministers in the past.
“It is not the BJP which is winning any election. It is in fact Modi who was winning all this while. There is a huge leadership crisis in Gujarat Congress which helped Modi to grow stronger and stronger,” Sanjay Kumar, director of Centre for the Study of Developing Societies told Firstpost.
WATCH: Modi’s second rally begins in Prachi