As Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday made an emotional connect with the people and workers of his home state, Gujarat, after getting a second successive term, he said that the coming five years would be crucial to bring India back to the position it had enjoyed in the world several years ago.
Modi and BJP president Amit Shah reached Ahmedabad on Sunday evening to a warm welcome by party leaders. The programme was kept a low key affair following the death of 23 persons in Surat fire. However, there was a massive gathering outside the BJP's Khanpur office in Ahmedabad.
This was Modi-Shah duo's first visit to Gujarat after the BJP got over 300 seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.
Addressing the gathering, Modi said that after the sixth phase of polling he had predicted that the BJP would cross 300-mark. Victory, he said, brings along responsibility and the next five years would be to bring back the position India had enjoyed earlier.
The prime minister said that in 2014, nobody knew him but they knew the development of Gujarat. In 2019, all the political pundits went wrong, he pointed out.
Thanking the people of Gujarat for giving all the 26 Lok Sabha seats, he said that out of the 182 assembly constituencies, if the votes were to be taken into consideration the BJP got lead in 173 assembly segments.
Mentioning about the Surat tragedy, Modi said that he was in a dilemma whether to attend Sunday's function or not. But on one hand there was responsibility and on the other hand there was compassion. “I had to thank you all and take your blessings and in near future there was no time available,” he said.
The prime minister said that the Gujarat government was undertaking fire safety audit so that in future no such incidents take place.
Earlier, speaking at the occasion, Shah reminded the masses that this was the very place from where Modi began his career as BJP's organisational secretary. Soon after he took over, there were elections in Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the BJP won.
Shah also paid homage to the Surat fire victims.
Making a mention about the strides in the field of development under Modi's stint as Gujarat chief minister from 2001 to 2014, Shah said that earlier people knew Gujarat only as a place where riots took place.
Under Modi's leadership at the Centre, the Armed Forces have twice given fitting reply to Pakistan.
While thanking the people of Gujarat for the kind of leads the BJP candidates got in LS elections, Shah also mentioned the electorate of Gandhinagar. “I can't thank you enough,” he said.
In an assurance of sorts that there won't be any change in the leadership in Gujarat, Shah said that at the Centre you will have Narendrabhai and in Gujarat, development will scale new heights under Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel.
Modi called on his mother Hiraben at Raisan, near Gandhinagar and took blessings. A huge crowd had gathered outside the house to have his glimpse.
After overnight stay at Raj Bhavan, Modi will leave for Varanasi on Monday.