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Narendra Modi at BJP`s Delhi rally: As it happened
The stage is set for Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi`s first rally in the national capital since his anointment as the Bharatiya Janata Party`s prime ministerial candidate.
1.43 pm: Narendra Modi leaves the dais to rapturous applause.
1.42 pm: Will you repeat so that it gives strength to the PM. Vande Mataram!
1.40 pm: We learnt from Atal ji, Advani ji, Kushabhau Thakre and on the basis of what they taught us we are coming to you.
1.39 pm: For me the govt has one religion — nation first, India first. The only holy book for govt is Constitution of India.
1.39 pm: We will never break your trust. We will live for your dreams and if need be we will give our lives for your dreams.
1.38 pm: Na shasak tha, na hoon, na sapne dekhta hoon. Mai sevak hoon. Kal bhi aapka sevak rahunga. I am not a ruler, only your servant. I am a servant of the people and shall remain the same.
1.37 pm: See values of the BJP, their culture. A man who was selling tea to make ends meet has been put here.
1.36 pm: Let us affirm that no elderly is troubled, poor have food to eat, they have houses, tribal communities get education opportunities.
1.35 pm: Nation has borne the UPA for 10 years and we have seen the work of `dirty team`. We need a `dream team` in 2014.
1.32 pm: Today there is a conflict between parivarshahi (family-run rule) and lokshahi . (democracy). The former is strangling the latter. Will we run on the constitution of the wishes of the `prince`? Will it run on his whims? That is what we have to decide. I also want to ask UPA allies- when PM said who he is ready to work under. But can their allies tell nation—constitution or crown price?
1.31 pm: Will the PM will be able to question Nawaz Sharif on the Indian soldiers who were brutally killed?
1.30 pm: If you (Congress) do not respect your party`s PM then how can you expect Nawaz Sharif to do so? We are suspicious will you speak to Nawaz Sharif because for many years you are not speaking. Will you be able to talk on getting back Pak-occupied-Kashmir?
1.26 pm: I hope PM will lodge a strong protest with Nawaz Sharif. The nation has its doubts about you. Why will Sharif respect the PM when he is being called `nonsense` by his own party?
1.23 pm: I ask Dr Singh, you are about to meet the PM of Pakistan. He wants to meet you also. Nation is suspicious what you will talk to him about. Before that I am saying something that is painful. Pakistan PM called some journalists for breakfast. Sharif said our PM is like a `dehati aurat` (rural woman). We will fight our PM in India but he is PM of 125 crore Indians. This is an insult to the people of India and Indians. We will not tolerate our PM`s insult.
1.21 pm: PM did in front of Obama what others do who market our poverty and win awards. Do you want to take their way?
1.20 pm: PM Manmohan Singh is in the US. He met President Barack Obama and told him, `I am from India, it is a poor nation.` I ask Dr Singh what poverty are you talking about?
I want to ask- when you said poor is it state of mind? Because the `prince` has said it is a state of mind.
1.18 pm: Due to UPA`s corruption, aviation sector has suffered immense losses.
1.17 pm: National Highways are under Centre`s jurisdiction. See what is happening, asks Modi. The UPA itself said that NDA has built more roads, he says.
1.15 pm: All the UPA’s successful ventures are run by states. Look at a central department like Railways. Railways had a network of 61,000 km in 1981. Last 30 years, only 3000 km has been added. China has moved ahead while we are still stuck at the same place, says Modi.
1.12 pm: 20,000 MW power is not generated, because the Congress government lacks disha (direction) and drishti (vision).
1.11 pm: There is no electricity in Delhi. Operations are underway but power goes off. Several states are under darkness.
1.10 pm: Our youth want jobs but the UPA is not able to provide them with employment. Modi asks, is the future of the youth safe in the hands of the Congress? The crowd goes ballistic with chants of "no".
1.08 pm: Modi addresses the issue of unemployment among youth, touching a raw nerve of the predominantly young crowd.
1.05 pm: We got `swarajya` but its been so many years and we did not get `surajya` (good governance). Good governance is the way ahead. It will free us from troubles but UPA is used to misgovernance.
1.04 pm: UPA is immersed in Gandhi bhakti and this means taking the currency notes with Bapu`s images on them. This is their Gandhi bhakti, says Modi, drawing vociferous applause from the humongous crowd.
1.02 pm: Modi narrates a story about a corrupt train ticket checker (TC) who refused to give him a seat because he couldn`t take a bribe from him.
1.01 pm: When the Congress government is mired in corruption, instead of finding a solution, it stops functioning.
1.00 pm: The Congress government is `addicted` to corruption, much like an alcoholic needs alcohol, says Modi.
12.58 pm: The crowd gets all worked up, Modi has to pause a while to let them settle.
12.55 pm: Modi tears into Sheila Dikshit`s track record, says CWG was not only about money loss. It did not only raid our coffers — it robbed us of our future, affected our sportsman spirit. Corruption of CWG is discussed but CM says committee knows. If it was good she would have done to get photo clicked:
12.51 pm: Sheila does not have agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, irrigation and if there are pot holes only give a statement.
12.50 pm: Sheila Dikshit has no responsibility but to blame Delhi`s problems on Centre or someone else.
12.50 pm: The happiest CM in India is Delhi`s CM. She has no work other than cutting ribbons, says Modi.
12.46 pm: There is government in Delhi, a mother`s government, a son`s government, a government for the son-in-law.
12.45 pm: Governments are a nation`s strength, they are the people`s strength but Delhi is a place under burden of Governments, says Modi.
12.42 pm: Modi thanks Varun dev (god) for the weather. Delhi usually burns at this time of the year, he says.
12.41 pm: Never have Delhiites seen such a gathering and I congratulate party workers from the bottom of my heart, says Modi.
12.40 pm: Modi begins his address by chanting `Bharat mata ki jai` thrice.
12.38 pm: Narendra Modi steps up to the dais amidst deafening roar.
12.37 pm: The country cannot progress under a helpless PM, says Gadkari.
The backdrop of dais has the slogan — Badlengey Dilli, badlengey Bharat — (will change Delhi, will change India).
12.32 pm: Gadkari says Gujarat has advanced under Modi, but the rest of the contry has receded under Congress rule.
12.30 pm: Nitin Gadkari takes the mic and praises Modi`s work in Gujarat.
12.25 pm: Vijay Goel promises cutting electricity tariff and cleaning Yamuna river if BJP comes to power in Delhi.
12.20 pm: Vijay Goel praises Narendra Modi`s work in Gujarat and lambasts Sheila Dikshit-led Delhi government.
12.15 pm: Sidhu riles up the crowd and takes pot-shots at Congress for its governance.
12.00 pm: Amristar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu is also present at the Vikas Rally and expected to address the huge gathering.
Narendra Modi tweets: Wonderful to be in #Delhi to join the BJP Vikas Rally.
11.50 am: Vijay Goel begins proceedings, says Narendra Modi will unfurl the tricolour in some time.
Nitin Gadkari, incharge for Delhi`s elections and Narendra Modi`s close aide Amit Shah are also to attend the Vikas rally.
11.45 am: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the venue on a chopper.
Ahead of Modi’s rally in Delhi, agencies report that Sikh groups have staged protests against Gujarat government`s stand on land rights of Sikh farmers in the state.
10.45 am: Delhi BJP leaders Vijay Goel, Dr Harsh Vardhan, Jagdish Mukhi, Ram Lal and former Delhi mayor Aarti Mehra arrived at the Vikas Rally.
Grand Vikas Rally at Delhi: The stage is set for Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s first rally in the national capital on Sunday since his anointment as the Bharatiya Janata Party`s prime ministerial candidate. Modi will make a grand entrance by flying directly to the rally venue — Japanese Park, Rohini — on a chopper.