Gujarat Assembly Elections: PM Narendra Modi addresses rally in Dhandhuka.
After several election rallies were cancelled in the poll-bound state on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he would hold three public meetings ahead of the Gujarat assembly elections today. While the first phase of assembly polls is slated for December 9, the second phase will be held on December 14.
Cyclone Ockhi was expected to make landfall near the state capital Surat by Tuesday midnight; however, it gradually weakened. The Indian Meteorological Department had made a prediction in this regard.
PM Modi's Surat rally, which was earlier scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed by a day. About half-a-dozen rallies by star campaigners from the BJP and Congress, scheduled for yesterday and today,
had to be cancelled.
Here are the updates on PM Modi's election rallies.
PM Modi addressing the rally in Netrang
"Congress feels only one family won India freedom. They forget the contribution of the tribal communities to India's freedom struggle" Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at Netrang, adding that "They call us a Government of the rich. It is the blessings of the poor that make us rich. Our asset is the hardwork of the poor. Our Government worked for tribal welfare, ensured better education, healthcare."
Addressing a rally at Netrang, PM Modi said "This part of Gujarat is special for me. When I took over as CM, people told me school dropout rates in this part are high. On hearing that I decided that come what may, we will get more children to school and we will ensure there are no dropouts"
PM Modi shared photos from his Dahod rally
"The Sunni Waqf Board has stated today that yes, Kapil Sibal may be our lawyer but what he said in the court is absolutely wrong. They too want a time bound solution to the matter. Everyone wants a time bound solution except Congress and their leaders," PM Modi said in Dahod.
"The Sunni Waqf Board must be congratulated for their brave stand on the matter and disassociating themselves from the statement of Shri Kapil Sibal," he said.
PM Modi woos the local crowd by speaking in Gujarati during the public meetings.
PM Narendra Modi is now addressing a rally in Dahod.
PM Modi tweeted several pictures of the Dhandhuka rally from his official Twitter account.
After Modi-wave was said to have swept the nation in 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, PM Narendra Modi has been campaigning for the BJP, ruling at the centre, in all key elections.
PM Narendra Modi will address his next rally in Dahod.
After BJP National President Amit Shah attacked Dr Kapil Sibal over the Ayoydhya case, PM Modi today said, "Yesterday in the SC, a Congress MP Kapil Sibal was arguing (which is his right) for the Babri Masjid. He is entitled to do that but is it right for him to say postpone hearing till 2019? Why does he have to link a Ram Mandir with elections. Is such thinking proper?"
"Now Congress links Ram Mandir with elections. They are least bothered about the nation."
"When the Triple Talaq matter was in the Supreme Court, the government had to put their affidavit, newspapers commented that Modi will remain silent because of UP (assembly) polls. People told me not to speak on the matter else there will be losses in elections," PM Modi said today in Dhandhukha.
"I am clear that on Triple Talaq, I will not be silent. Everything is not about elections. This issue is for the rights of women... elections come later, humanity comes first."
Renewing attack on Congress, PM Narendra Modi said, "BJP in Gujarat has ended the 'Tanker Raj.' Tanker business was firmly in the hands of Congress leaders and their families"
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"One family has done greatest injustice to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and Sardar Patel. When Pandit Nehru's influence on the Congress was complete, the Congress ensured that Dr. Ambedkar found it tough to join the Constituent Assembly," PM Modi said today in Gujarat's Dhandhuka.
"Congress did not think of conferring the Bharat Ratna on Dr. Ambedkar."
"Today we remember the great Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. I paid tributes to him in Parliament this morning, before coming to Gujarat," PM Narendra Modi said at election rally in Dhandhuka.
"Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was passionate about ensuring proper irrigation facilities to every part of India," he said and added, "The thought of India having a Central Bank, the RBI, was the vision of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar."
PM Modi is speaking at the Dhandhuka rally.
As cyclone Ockhi closed in, both BJP and Congress had to review the election campaigning schedule. While BJP National President Amit Shah's rally in Rajula, Mahuva and Sihor were cancelled, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's chopper failed to land in Morbi and subsequent rallies at Dhrangadhra and Surendranagar were also cancelled.
On Tuesday, the BJP called off the press conferences of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanat in the state capital due to Cyclone Ockhi. Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari's roadshow in Bapunagar area of Ahmedabad was also cancelled.
Ahead of the political rallies, PM Narendra Modi paid tribute to B.R. Ambedkar on his death anniversary.
PM Modi tweeted this morning about the election rallies he would address today.