Lok Sabha polls: Vote for change, vote for Narendra Modi, says Advani

AHMEDNAGAR: Days after ending the row over his parliamentary seat that brought to fore strains in his relations with Narendra Modi, BJP veteran L K Advani today kicked off the campaign for Lok Sabha polls, saying the party's PM nominee would revive the process of development started by Atal Behari Vajpayee.

"Vote for Modi, vote for change," Advani said, addressing his maiden campaign rally for the ensuing polls at Shevgaon for sitting BJP MP Dinesh Gandhi.

"The nation needs and expects action and not mere slogans. So, vote for change, vote for Modi," he said.

Modi changed the face of Gujarat through the Narmada project, industrialisation and providing water to every farmer, besides improving electric supply, education, public distribution system and the law and order situation, he said.

Vajpayee and the NDA had tried its best to fulfil every commitment, right from the Pokharan nuclear test to providing basic amenities, he said.

Advani described Manmohan Singh as India's weakest prime minister.

This was Advani's first public rally as the star campaigner began canvassing for Lok Sabha elections, days after the row over his choice of seat.

The 86-year-old leader had sulked over the party's decision to field him from his traditional Gandhinagar seat in Gujarat against his wish to contest from Bhopal but later agreed after a meeting with Modi. Advani's decision to shift from Gandhinagar, a seat he has represented since 1991, was seen as a reflection of the growing chasm between him and Modi.

This was the BJP veteran's first major poll-related engagement after his latest stand-off with the party's central election committee over Lok Sabha seat.

Advani earlier landed at Aurangabad and inaugurated the election office of BJP's Jalna candidate Raosaheb Danve at Chikalthana.