JOIN USGujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chose to play down his political ambitions at a time when the BJP is trying to nullify all opposition to his portrayal as the party’s prime ministerial candidate.
Modi, who was recently appointed head of the BJP’s poll panel, chose a government programme to mark Teachers Day to give a twist to the drama over the issue.
Responding to a question by a student at the programme in Gandhinagar on whether he would interact with them after becoming the prime minister, Modi said people of the state has given him a mandate till 2017. “I will continue serving Gujarat till then,” he said.
Modi said he does not harbour any such dreams as “dreams destroy the dreamer.” “One should dream of doing something instead of becoming something,” he said.
Interestingly, this has been Modi’s answer to questions on his prime ministerial ambitions. His response assumes importance in the wake of suspended encounter cop D G Vanzara’s resignation and allegations that senior BJP leaders tried to subvert the judicial process in the Tulsiram Prajapati encounter case.
Thursday’s event assumed significance as Modi shared dais with Governor Kamala Beniwal, who recently returned the amended Gujarat Lokayukta Bill with scathing remarks.
Speaking at the event, organised to honour teachers, Modi said earlier, the function to honour the teachers used to be a small affair.
“The chief minister would not be present. But this has changed in the last decade,” he said.
“Honouring teachers is a matter of immense pride for the state and it should be held on a larger scale.”
The chief minister further said the government is planning to increase the award money, “which has become imperative considering the fact that the rupee is in the intensive care unit.”