Date:24/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/24/stories/2007122459431200.htm

National

Modi will stay in Gujarat: Jaitley

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party leaders on Sunday emphasised that if the Gujarat victory in 2002 was explained away as the result of riots, this time it was a “positive mandate” based on Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s performance. They reiterated that Mr. Modi was not about to descend on Delhi and demand a new role for himself.

Asked whether Mr. Modi will be satisfied to stay in Gujarat for the next five years, party leader Arun Jaitley’s answer was a loud “yes.”

He and his party colleague Ravi Shankar Prasad were at pains to point out that reports of Mr. Modi trying to sabotage Mr. Advani’s prospects were not correct.

“We won six of seven Assembly segments in Gandhinagar and our overall lead was 4,14,000 votes,” Mr. Prasad said. “The BJP team has won and Modi is the man of the match; a ‘Dhoni,’ who led his team to victory.”

Contrary to early media estimates, the BJP had done well in rural Gujarat, winning over 70 of the “totally rural” 123 seats even as its expected hold in the urban areas remained intact where it won 29 of 35 seats. “The party has received positive support from all sections of society,” Mr. Prasad said.