Modi blames Cong for delay in Narmada project

UNA, Junagadh dist: Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday blamed the Congress for the delay in the completion of the Narmada project while it was in power.
Addressing a public meeting here, as part of the second day of the fifth phase of the Gaurav Yatra, Modi said that the Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra government were deliberately delaying the rehabilitation work to deny water and electricity to the people of Gujarat.
Modi said, "The Congress subscribe to the theory that if the Narmada problem is solved, the BJP would take the entire credit. This is the reason why the Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra governments are delaying work on the project." Modi added, "The Congress of today is not the same Congress party of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel''s days."
Without naming Sonia, the chief minister said, "Today, the party is directionless."
The chief minister must have heaved a sigh of relief when the Gaurav Yatra passed through Una without any problem, as workers of a closed sugar factory here had planned black flag demonstration. However, before the yatra began, a delegation of workers had a meeting with the chief minister at Kodinar and he assured them that he would take concrete steps to end the imbroglio.
Modi also promised the delegation that the issue would be sorted our before Diwali.
The factory workers, however, were skeptical of Modi''s assurances. The factory has remained closed for the last three-and-a-half years and the workers have not been paid their salaries.
In all his yatra speeches, Modi has made a number of promises, but the people are taking his assurances with a pinch of salt. "We know that the promises are being made only because of the elections around the corner. After the elections, all the promises will be forgotten. You are from Rajkot and you should know better," Mepabhai Kalubhai Mer, told this correspondent at Kodinar.
The BJP organisers were concerned about the low turnout at the places falling on the yatra route. "It is not a healthy sign," a senior leader accompanying the yatra observed.