Modi ends fast, leaders shower praises on him

And in what is being seen as a symbolic gesture at veering off  from the hardline Hindutva image, Modi broke his three-day fast at the University Exhibition Hall with juice offered by people from various religions.

After breaking the much-hyped fast, Modi reiterated that he was committed to communal amity and peace in the state. He even tried to equate the response he received to the one which Gandhian Anna Hazare had achieved during his recent protest against corruption.

“There is buzz across the country on my mission. All of us know the reason. Why did so many people turn up at Anna Hazare’s fast since the common man is feeling isolated and frustrated at the way things are being run in the country,’’ he said.

Utilising the opportunity to showcase his achievements, Modi reiterated that his government had always believed in the welfare of  “six crore Gujaratis without discrimination.”

Claiming that the development model of Gujarat had not just drawn attention from across the country, but had become a subject of discussion globally.

Emphasising that Muslims were better off in his state than in any other states, Modi stressed he did not believe in vote bank politics.  “I don’t believe in words like minority or majority. For me all are one and that’s why everyone is progressing in the state,’’ he claimed.

The chief minister, flanked by senior party leaders Sushma Swaraj and Venkaih Naidu, announced that he would visit every district of his village every month and ensure development model percolated down to the grass-roots level.

Modi, while refraining from his usual style of attacking his rivals, said that in a democracy everyone had a view.

Modi’s assertion on his development mantra came at a time when senior party leaders seem completely rallying around him. So much so Naidu announced that Modi indeed was a prime minister material.

“People ask, is Modi a prime minister material? I am asking you is there any doubt,’’ he remarked.

Sushma directly did not refer to Modi as PM in-waiting, but showered praises on his governance model. “He has an amazing self confidence and works tirelessly towards his goal,’’ Sushma remarked at the concluding programme which also saw presence of regional leaders like Maharastra Navnirman Sena’s Raj Thackeray.