Exclusive: CM Vijay Rupani flays Congress, predicts BJP will win record seats

CM Vijay Rupani says upcoming state elections are a golden opportunity for Gujarat to benefit from having Narendra Modi as Prime Minister of the country. He accuses Congress of having ignored the state in the past when it was in power at the Centre.

New Delhi: Accusing the UPA government of having ignored Gujarat's need and aspirations, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday flayed Congress for having blocked the state's needs in the past. Speaking at Zee News' Game of Gujarat Conclave, he said Narendra Modi's ascent to the post of PM will only help BJP gain more than 150 seats in the upcoming assembly elections.

Rupani, who took over as the 16th CM of the state from Anandiben Patel in August of 2016, said that when Congress was in power at the Centre, Gujarat's development seen with envy and its needs were put on the backburner. "Gujarat's progress in the past has been a result of the visionary leadership of Narendra Modi who was the CM of the state when Congress was in power at the Centre. Congress was only interested in hounding him and ignoring the needs of the state when the UPA government was in power," he said. "It is for the state and its people to see what Congress did for them `while in Delhi and what Modibhai did as CM and what all he has done as PM."

Negating claims that the traders' community in the state is not too pleased with PM Modi's demonetisation and GST moves, Rupani claimed that BJP will claim more than 150 seats in two-phase elections scheduled for December 9 and December 14. "We have always performed strongly in the state and will get more than 150 seats this time around," he said. When told that if his prediction is true, it would be a record for the party in the state, Rupani said that with Narendra Modi as PM, it is as good as being certain. "We will get a lead like never before. If as CM, Modibhai made such an impact, imagine what the results would be like now that he has been PM of the entire country. (Also) Congress has stooped really low and it is sad to see the current state of the party. We are confident of a resounding victory."