Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2013: Congress plays down industrialists' praise of Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: Congress today dismissed suggestions that encomiums from top industrialists to Narendra Modi at the "Vibrant Gujarat" meet showed that acceptability of the controversial Chief Minister is increasing at the national level.

"'Vibrant Gujarat' is an investment summit where all industrialists are invited to invest in the state. This sort of summit is held in other states also where Chief Ministers of respective state are praised", party spokesman Sandeep Dikshit told reporters.

Rejecting suggestions that it showed the possibility of wider acceptability of Modi, Dikshit remarked "if you read the statements of the industrialists in any state, almost every CM is glorified when an event like this takes place".

Modi got a resounding endorsement from Indian and foreign industry bodies for his "grand vision" for development with Anil Ambani putting him in the league of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel.