Riding a thumping third victory in the recently held Gujarat elections, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi visited the national capital to a rousing welcome on December 27. Skillfully using the platform of the National Development Council (NDC) meeting to reach out to a national audience, Modi showcased the Gujarat model of development.

Later addressing party workers at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters at 11, Ashoka Road in Delhi, Modi hit out at the UPA government’s policies which "lack urgency or seriousness" in tackling economic crises and the "sense of pessimism" in the 12th plan. The party’s national headquarters had seldom witnessed such bonhomie and celebration for any senior leader as it did on December 27.

Modi staked his claim for the prime ministership in his own trademark way when he told the party workers, “I met PM in the NDC meet today and told him that the nation is not happy with the way he is governing the country. I also told him that he lacks the vision to take this nation forward.”

“They planned 9% growth but stalled at 7.9%. Sadly, today they have stopped thinking about 9%. This has come down to 8.2%. The whole country today met to contribute to this 0.3% increase. The country is not able to go up from 7 percent and Gujarat is not stepping down from 9% bracket,” he said amid cheers from the party workers. 

“In the 20-point development programme, no Congress or UPA state is in the top 5. The government, rather than encouraging those states, stopped publishing the bi-annual report,” he told the gathering.

Earlier at the 57th NDC meeting in the national capital, Modi said, “It seems that there is no urgency or seriousness in tackling economic crises facing the country. There has been a virtual lack of direction in the macroeconomic management of the country.”

Modi sought to project the Gujarat model of development by listing out the initiatives taken by him in various sectors including agriculture, urban development and decentralised planning.

Woos party cadre

Amid a cheering crowd of BJP workers at the party headquarters at 11 Ashoka Road, Gujarat chief minister made a straight pitch for them. Recalling in his brief address to them how he spent years in a corner here and was still not forgotten, he kindled a new hope among them and assured that they were working for a party which cares.

Modi instead of speaking about his own victory chose the platform to praise the party cadre. “For years, I used to do the work designated to me at this office. It is because of the party that I have reached this position. It's the power of the democracy that a simple common man has been given so much responsibility,” he said.

Intelligently using the occasion to raise an army of supporters for his claim to the BJP’s prime ministerial candidature, he identified himself with the cadre and reaffirmed his faith in them (while implicitly asking them to reaffirm their faith in him).

“I am your partner and I have come here to give credit to my fellow beings,” said the chief minister. “As a fellow worker I have tried to live up to your expectations,” he added.

Modi also invited the party workers to visit Gujarat and suggest him ways to govern the state better. “I would request you all to come to Gujarat and see our current governance, if you have any suggestions for improvement, please let me know. As a party worker, I will always welcome your suggestions and will work towards implementing them,” he said.