PM Narendra Modi to kick off last leg of election campaign from Bhuj

BHUJ: PM Narendra Modi will kick off his Gujarat election campaign with a rally in Bhuj on Monday and will follow it up with public meetings all over Saurashtra and South Gujarat. In the course of next 15 days, he is expected to attend at least 20 public meetings and rallies in his home state that will vote on December 9 and December 14.

“The way Modi rebuilt Kutch gave him a chance to rebuild Gujarat,” a BJP leader said, reasoning why Modi chose Bhuj to start his final leg of campaign in a state that he ruled as CM for more than 15 years. “He brought Industry to Gujarat and also water,” he said.

It was during his Independence Day speech on August 15, 2013, in Bhuj that Modi as Gujarat CM had first slammed then prime minister Manmohan Singh’s address to the nation as uninspiring. He had picked holes in Singh’s words and made lacerating comments on the UPA government’s policy on China and Pakistan, speaking at Lalan College in Bhuj.

“‘Lalan se Lalquila’ slogan was created then,” a BJP worker in Bhuj said. The person said Modi’s move to develop Rann of Kutch and market it as a tourist destination put Kutch on the world map and increased the state’s tourist potential.

Modi visited this part of the state in May and had inaugurated various projects at the Kandla Port and Bachau, both in Kutch district, and addressed a public meeting at Gandhidham and in Bachau. BJP has picked six places for Modi’s public meetings this week, which include Jail pilgrim spot Palitana and Patidar agitation affected Morbi. Ten other ministers have been deputed to travel in Gujarat for the next couple of days.