Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Assembly elections in Gujarat will determine where the state will be in the next 25 years.
Addressing a public rally in the Botad district of Gujarat, the PM said it was for voters to shape the destiny of the state in the coming years. Exhorting people to vote the BJP back to power in the western state, the PM, during his 30-minute-long speech in native tongue, Gujarati, said, “This election is not only for the next five years, it will determine what Gujarat looks lie in the next 25 years.”
Earlier, in an apparent swipe at Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Congress leader walked with a woman who tried everything to derail the Narmada Project. Earlier on Saturday, during the Maharashtra leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi was joined by activist Medha Patkar who spearheaded the Narmada Bachao Aandolan to prevent the displacement of locals due to the water of the Dam.
In his address at a rally in Gujarat’s Dhoraji, the Prime Minister said without naming Rahul Gandhi, “You would have seen a picture published in the newspaper yesterday of a Congress leader standing with those who oppose the Narmada Project. You should ask them with what face are they coming to seek votes from you. They did everything to stall the Narmada project for decades together and ensured that no money including that from World Bank was able to come over to Gujarat. They were constantly maligning the reputation of Gujarat.”
He said that the matter was taken to courts and the lady who spearheaded this movement was seen along with the Congress leader.
“This shows that you are only walking towards destroying Gujarat,” said PM Modi at the rally in Dhoraji.
“Those people who try to destroy the only water lifeline of the Kutch region are seen with Congress leaders. This shows that they are only working towards destroying Gujarat. Voters and Gujarat need to ask Congress leadership, why are they aligning with such forces.”