Shri Narendra Modi landed in Gujarat late in the evening of 13th September 2013. He landed to a rapturous welcome by Gujarat BJP leaders and Karyakartas at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. There were ecstatic cheers hailing the decision to appoint Shri Modi as the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate for 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Speaking to the Karyakartas and leaders assembled, Shri Modi said that the BJP is the only ray of hope for the common man and woman and that it is the only party that can remove the nation from this atmosphere of gloom and unhappiness.
The Chief Minister and now the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate thanked the people for the warmth shown to him and even apologized for the delay in his return from New Delhi. He stated that affection shown by the people of Gujarat has given strength to the decision taken by the leadership of the BJP.
Shri Modi pointed that the inner democracy is the true strength of the BJP and that the party hears the voice of the countless small Karyakartas. The fact that an ordinary Karyakarta like him got so much respect and love in the BJP shows the true character and value systems of the Party. He declared that Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Shri Lal Krishna Advani created a banyan tree and that it is now on the leaders and Karyakartas to expand it with their hardwork and sweat. Shri Modi stressed on the need to take India to new heights of progress and remove it from the mess that it is currently in. He stressed that the hope in the hearts of the people should not get dampened.
Describing the BJP as a cadre based party, Shri Modi stated that the BJP derives strength from its Karyakartas and works on idea of team spirit. It is on this basis that the BJP will fulfill the aspirations of the people, he avowed.
He recalled that like the last decade, the decade from 1988-1998 witnessed India falling to abysmal lows with no pride left among the people and that is when the nation chose Atal ji and the NDA to serve them. Shri Modi affirmed that when the NDA for a chance to serve the nation, a new trust was created that the dreams of the people would be fulfilled and that India is ready for the 21st century. However, he opined that the last decade the hardwork and good performance of the NDA has been washed away and at the same time the country has reached such lows that there is no trust in the minds of the people.
Narendrabhai pointed that as BJP Karyakartas who have dedicated their lives to strengthening the nation, it is very difficult to see what is happening in the nation. He emphasized on the need to get the poor, the Dalit and Tribal communities out of the hardships they have to face.
Those present at the airport included Gujarat BJP President Shri RC Faldu, former BJP Vice President and Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat Shri Parshottam Rupala, Finance Minister Shri Nitinbhai Patel, Education Shri Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, Minister of State Shri Pradeepsinh Jadeja and other senior dignitaries.
The announcement to declare Shri Modi as the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate was made by BJP President Shri Rajnath Singh at the BJP’s National Headquarters in New Delhi after Shri Modi’s name was approved by the Party Parliamentary Board. Present on the occasion were Leaders of Opposition in both Houses Smt. Sushma Swaraj and Shri Arun Jaitley, former Union HRD Minister Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, former BJP Presidents Shri Venkaiah Naidu and Shri Nitin Gadkari, Shri Thawarchand Gehlot, Shri Ram Lal and Shri Ananth Kumar. Later on, other BJP leaders from all over congratulated Shri Modi.
After being declared the Prime Ministerial candidate Shri Modi drove to the residence of former Deputy Prime Minister of India Shri LK Advani and former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee to seek their blessings.
