Calls it a mandate for strong and secure India, says next five years will be crucial for country
Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP)'s office from which Prime Minister Narendra Modi operated once was just a stone's throw away from the stage from which he addressed hundreds of people in his first visit to the state after a historic mandate for both the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
PMModi thanked the people of his state for backing him and the BJP second time in a row by ensuring victory in all the 26 Lok Sabha seats of Gujarat. "The last time I addressed a gathering here was in 2012 after winning the Assembly elections. What Gujarat has taught me has been useful to me. You don't earn the trust of people by merely dreaming about it but by working among them," said Modi. Thanking the voters of Gujarat, Modi said, "In 2014, India did not know me but it knew Gujarat. It knew of Gujarat's development, of its roads, about its prosperity. Stories of Gujarat reached the rest of India before me," said Modi. He called the 2014 verdict as the story of Gujarat's development.
The Prime Minister who reminisced about his time in the BJP's Khanpur office also spoke about sharing Dalwadas with veteran BJP leader Ashok Bhatt. "This is where I learned about the strength of an organisation," said Modi. He also spoke about the Surat fire incident in which 22 students lost their lives."I was in a dilemma about whether to come or not. I knew I had a duty to come to this state but my heart was saddened by the Surat incident. But I had to take the blessings of my mother and the soil of which I was born," said Modi. Earlier the BJP had announced that in light of the Surat tragedy the celebrations would be subdued.
"The Surat incident is very unfortunate. Both Modi and Shah are coming to the state after a massive victory. But the BJP team in Gujarat has decided to welcome Prime Minister Modi and party president Amit Shah with simplicity keeping the Surat fire tragedy in mind," BJP's Gujarat unit president Jitu Vaghani said. He said no loud music will be played nor will crackers be burst for the celebration.
Modi also said that it was for the first time in 2019 that he actually ventured out to give a figure about the number of seats the NDA will get. "After every elections, journalists would ask me about the number of seats that my party would win. I never responded but it was in 2019 for the first time that I said we would win more than 300 seats," said Modi.
"This is a vote for the security of the country. People have voted to ensure a strong government. This election has seen so many records including the highest ever voter turnout in Gujarat. Given that it was the peak of summer when the elections happened, I thank every one of you for your trust in me," said Modi.
The BJP president Amit Shah who also addressed the gathering reminded the people about BJP's first victory in the AMC polls and how the winning streak for the party has never ended since then.
2K COPS ON DUTY
Over 2,000 police officials including Ahmedabad police commissioner A.K Singh were present as part of the security arrangements for Modi’s visit to the city. Cops also prevented entry at the venue after 5.40 pm by which it was already jam-packed. An argument also broke out between cops and BJP workers after they prevented them from entering the VIP area.
‘He was very dedicated’
Ambalal Koshti, the man who inducted Narendra Modi into the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), says the Prime Minister was very dedicated to working for the poor and marginalised sections of the society even during early days of his life.
“I inducted him into the Jan Sangh because his ideology was nationalist. He was very keen to work for the society, especially for the poor and Dalits,” Koshti, who works as the media in-charge in BJP office in Gandhinagar, told ANI.
Koshti, who claims to know Modi since his childhood, said he met the PM when he used to sell tea at the Transport Office in Ahmedabad and was impressed with his ideology and knowledge. ANI
KID COMES TO MEET PM
Vivek Das, a 12 year old who had earlier approached education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama to help his younger sister and brother get admitted in Kendriya Vidhyalay on Sunday came to the Khanpur rally in hopes of meeting Narendra Modi to help his case. He wanted to appeal to Modi to helps his siblings get the admission. The security however did not allow the kid to meet Modi saying a prior appointment was needed
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 "Prime Minister Narendra Modi")
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