Save Gujarat from casteism, communalism; vote for BJP, says Modi

Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday, urged the people of Gujarat to vote for the BJP in the Assembly polls embracing its development agenda, and save the state by rejecting "casteism, communalism and dynastic politics".

On the first day of the BJP's door-to-door outreach drive - Gujarat Gaurav Maha-Sampark Abhiyan - BJP workers and leaders, including its president Amit Shah, distributed copies of Modi's message-cum-appeal among people.

In the written message addressed to the people of Gujarat, Modi urged them to remember what the state was before the BJP assumed power in 1995, and appealed to them to vote for his party to carry forward the "journey of development" that began 22 years back.

"Just compare what was Gujarat 22 years back and what it is now. Thanks to the good governance of the BJP governments, Gujarat has reached new heights of development, so much so that it is now known across the world," he said in the message.

Modi said a young person of 22-25 years cannot even imagine what Gujarat was in the past when casteism and communalism "destroyed" it.

"Now, some power-hungry elements are playing the same dirty game. Now, it is our collective responsibility to save Gujarat from the evils of casteism, communalism and dynastic politics," the message read.

Modi also slammed the Congress-led UPA governments, accusing them of having stalled the Narmada project.

The prime minister said though the Congress-led central governments were not favourable to Gujarat, the state continued its journey of development.

He reminded the people how his government got completed the Sardar Sarovar dam project quickly.

Polling for the two-phase elections will take place on December 9 and 14, and votes will be counted on December 18.