Confident Modi shows ambition for PM post
Modi refused to be drawn into questions on communal violence of 2002.
NEW DELHI: Showcasing himself in Delhi for the third time in a row since he was re-elected as Gujarat CM, Narendra Modi on Saturday exuded a growing confidence to move into the national arena, but fended off questions about the 2002 riots.
Addressing a fawning audience at a media function that included the industry heads and political class among others, Modi gamely took a direct question on whether he is aspiring to move to the Centre as the Prime Minister. Although his reply skated around the issue, the unabashed sales pitch for Gujarat left few doubts about the readiness to take up a role at the Centre ahead of 2014 polls.
For a good one hour, he showcased his Gujarat model , starting with a film presentation of his achievements , and sold the development dream to be transported to the Centre and be replicated in the rest of the country. In fact, when asked whether his jealous colleagues were blocking him from coming to Delhi, he said, "I am already in Delhi."
The bold show was significant for the contrast it offered to stubbornness with which he had kept himself confined to Gujarat. At the outset, the host had introduced Modi by suggesting that he was ready to switch his focus from hardline Hindutva to development.
Modi indeed harped on his achievements. But he refused to be drawn into questions on communal violence of 2002. To the suggestion that wounds of Gujarat riots had not healed yet, Modi said that his perception was different. He glossed over another question on whether he regretted the loss of lives on his watch, saying that he addressed the issue on umpteenth occasions. "You can have all of my replies by doing a web search".
He also elaborated on his recent definition of secularism as "India first" to defiantly declare that his ideal of India was one where all had equal rights and none, minorities included, special protection. He suggested that secularism in its present form was influenced by vote bank considerations. But there was no caginess when he was asked if what was good for Gujarat could work in the rest of the country. Dipping into management glossary, he talked of "mindset change" and "out-of-the-box"thinking , buttressing his claim of a different leadership style.
The confidence was also evident from the way he brushed aside the question on the assessment that his projection as PM will cause Nitish Kumar to walk out of NDA: perhaps a significant pointer on the eve of a rally being organized by the Bihar CM in Capital.
Although being organized around the theme of "special status" for Bihar, the rally in Delhi is being seen as a prelude to Nitish's potential break up with BJP over Modi.
Addressing a fawning audience at a media function that included the industry heads and political class among others, Modi gamely took a direct question on whether he is aspiring to move to the Centre as the Prime Minister. Although his reply skated around the issue, the unabashed sales pitch for Gujarat left few doubts about the readiness to take up a role at the Centre ahead of 2014 polls.
For a good one hour, he showcased his Gujarat model , starting with a film presentation of his achievements , and sold the development dream to be transported to the Centre and be replicated in the rest of the country. In fact, when asked whether his jealous colleagues were blocking him from coming to Delhi, he said, "I am already in Delhi."
The bold show was significant for the contrast it offered to stubbornness with which he had kept himself confined to Gujarat. At the outset, the host had introduced Modi by suggesting that he was ready to switch his focus from hardline Hindutva to development.
Modi indeed harped on his achievements. But he refused to be drawn into questions on communal violence of 2002. To the suggestion that wounds of Gujarat riots had not healed yet, Modi said that his perception was different. He glossed over another question on whether he regretted the loss of lives on his watch, saying that he addressed the issue on umpteenth occasions. "You can have all of my replies by doing a web search".
He also elaborated on his recent definition of secularism as "India first" to defiantly declare that his ideal of India was one where all had equal rights and none, minorities included, special protection. He suggested that secularism in its present form was influenced by vote bank considerations. But there was no caginess when he was asked if what was good for Gujarat could work in the rest of the country. Dipping into management glossary, he talked of "mindset change" and "out-of-the-box"thinking , buttressing his claim of a different leadership style.
The confidence was also evident from the way he brushed aside the question on the assessment that his projection as PM will cause Nitish Kumar to walk out of NDA: perhaps a significant pointer on the eve of a rally being organized by the Bihar CM in Capital.
Although being organized around the theme of "special status" for Bihar, the rally in Delhi is being seen as a prelude to Nitish's potential break up with BJP over Modi.
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