Narendra Modi

Narendra Modi

Narendra Damodardas Modi (Devnagri: नरेन्द्र दामोदरदास मोदी, Gujarati: નરેન્દ્ર દામોદરદાસ મોદી [nəɾɛn̪d̪ɾə d̪ämod̪əɾd̪äs mod̪i]; born 17 September 1950^[1]) is the Chief Minister of the Indian state of Gujarat since 7 October 2001, making him the longest serving Chief Minister of the state of Gujarat.^[2]

Born in a middle class family in Vadnagar, a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh since childhood, and an active politician since early in life having a masters degree in political science, Modi, along with Keshubhai Patel was seen as a hardliner early on and his coming to the fore in BJP led to a shakeup in the organization with Shankarsingh Vaghela leaving the party. In 1998, he was chosen by L K Advani to direct the election campaign in Gujarat as well as Himachal Pradesh. His aggressive and confident style was successful in the midst of failure to unite between Vaghela's RJP and Congress and the campaign culminated in a victory leading to Keshubhai becoming the chief minister in March, 1998.

Due to his successful direction of campaign in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, Modi, who was working at national level then, was promoted to become general secretary soon after.

He became Gujarat's Chief Minister in October 2001, promoted to the office at a time when his predecessor Keshubhai Patel had resigned, following the defeat of BJP in the by-elections.

He was re-elected in December 2002 as chief minister with 127 seats in the 182-member assembly. His term has been praised by leading industrialists^[3][4] and hindu religious leaders^[5] for outstanding administration for turning Gujarat into an economic powerhouse and controlling terrorism. He has been criticised for alleged mismanagement of and alleged complicity in the 2002 Gujarat violence, for which the United States government has instituted a ban on him traveling to that country.^[6][7]

In July 2007 he became the longest serving Chief Minister in Gujarat's history when he had been in power for 2063 days continuously.^[8]

He was elected again for a third term^[9] on 23 December 2007 with an emphatic win in the state elections, which he had cast as a "referendum on his rule".^[10][11]

Some members of Corporate India consider him as a potent "future Prime Minister of India". These views were openly kept forward at the "Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ Summit" (VGGIS) by Reliance ADAG chairman Anil Ambani, who called him "the next leader of India (Future Prime Minister)”. Bharti Airtel chief Sunil Mittal, too, have openly acknowledged this view by stating that “if there is a CEO who can lead this country, it is Narendra Modi”.^[12]

Modi 'rewards' BJP ex-rebels

GANDHINAGAR: Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday 'rewarded' several BJP leaders, who had once sided with his bete noire ex-CM Keshubhai Patel, with government postings. The most surprising is the induction of former MP Vallabh Kathiria, who was Union minister in the NDA government but later became one of the main campaigners against Modi. Kathiria was made chairman of the Gujarat Go Seva Ayog, one of the smallest state-run boards with little importance.

Kathiria was suspended from the BJP but was re-inducted after he apologised. He was one of the chief managers of the rebel rally in 2007, organized in association with Congress, at Rajkot. Gordhan Zadaphia, who heads the Mahagujarat Janata Party (MJP), which consists mainly of BJP rebels, said Kathiria's induction is "definitely a demotion for a man who once was Union minister handling portfolios like heavy industry and human resource development."

Another former rebel, Mahendra Trivedi, has been made chairman of the Gujarat Pavitra Yatradham Vikas Board, which is responsible for overseeing the management of all major temples, including Somnath, Dwarka and Ambaji. Trivedi was part of the rebel coterie headed by another ex-CM Suresh Mehta, which at a later stage joined hands with Keshubhai Patel in his fight against Modi. Trivedi had served as minister of state for home and culture in two terms under Keshubhai Patel.

A third rebel, Kaushik Patel, who was not so active openly but worked as background man organising things for the rebels, has been made executive chairman of the Twenty Point Programme implementation committee, a defunct body. Patel has worked as Cabinet minister for energy and revenue in the state government.

Two other earlier rebels who have been inducted in the government are Mansukh Mandavia and Punam Makwana. If Mandavia has been made chairman of Gujarat Agro-Industries Corporation, which is on the verge of being closed down, Makwana is the new chairman of the Bechar Swami Ati Pacchat Vikas Board, a small agency.

Several well-known pro-Modi men who were out of job have also been awarded. Ex-minister Bhuprendrasinh Chudasma has been made vice-chairman of the Gujarat Planning State Board, almost non-existent body. Jayanti Barot, former Rajya Sabha MP, has been made chairman of the Gujarat Housing Construction Board. Purshottam Bhojani, a Saurashtra-based businessman and BJP leader, is chairman of the Jamnagar Urban Development Corporation.

Modi banners set afire in capital

Police suspect it to be the work of people who are unhappy with the plastic ban enforced in the capital

Dilip Patel

The offenders did not burn the posters entirely. They set fire only to the section containing Modi’s image. This banner stood at GH-4 Circle near Udhyog Bhavan Unidentified men burnt Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s posters in Gandhinagar late on Monday. The police have still not been able to trace the person/s responsible for the incident. However, they believe it could be the work of people who are unhappy with the plastic ban that has been in force in the city since January 1. Though there are several posters of Modi dotting the capital, the ones that the vandals burnt were put up at GH-4 and CH-3 crossroads. Such an incident has happened for the first time in 10 years, say sources. Mean against Green In the two posters, Modi was seen asking Gandhinagar residents to keep the city green and free of plastic. Interestingly, the offenders did not burn the posters entirely. They chose to burn just Modi’s image. The rest of the poster is intact. The police believe it was a premeditated act. “The posters are 12-foot high. Anyone trying to burn it would either need a ladder or would have to stand atop a vehicle to reach it. We have found a kerosene can at the GH-4 spot which is near Udhyog Bhavan,” said police. Ban against plastic The police, who removed both the posters, believe the act could have been carried out by people unhappy with the ban on plastic bags. The Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation had passed a resolution to ban sale as well as amassing of plastic bags below 20 microns from January 1. The civic body also decided to invoke the Forest and Environmental Protection Act against any offender who violates the ban thrice, and arrest him. Most importantly, the ban extends to gutkha pouches that the Supreme Court recently said should be banned by state governments in three months. The GMC has warned vendors at vegetable markets and shopping centres, commercial complexes, milk parlours and laariwallahs against using plastic. Offenders fined The GMC officials have been ordered to charge penalty of anything between Rs 50 and 5,000 from shop owners possessing plastic bags. The stringent ban includes closure of plants producing loose plastic. A team comprising officials from departments of health, forest, roads and building along with those from the collector’s office, Gandhinagar Urban Development Authority and fire brigade have been set up to monitor sale of plastic in the city and implementation of the ban. They recently raided two plastic manufacturers and imposed a heavy fine on them for violating the ban.