In Goa, Modi to take pledge to fulfill Vivekananda's dreams

PANAJI: After embracing Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and claiming to follow his path on his political journey, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is expected to invoke the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and take a pledge to fulfill his dreams in an effort to take away some sting from the Aam Admi Party (AAP) effect and put back some zing into the party's campaign for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Modi, who will address Sunday's 'Vijay Sankalp' rally in Goa on the eve of Swami Vivekananda's birth anniversary, will probably use the opportunity to put back some trust in the BJP after the noticeable upswing for AAP particularly among urban voters. Modi is expected to stick to the BJP's good governance-reforms plank and turning around the economy to provide a stable government if elected to office in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
BJP's national spokeswoman Smriti Irani, who is BJP's Goa desk in charge, said that the party had (when Modi was anointed as party campaign chief) and will create history through Goa by presenting Modi as a prime ministerial candidate to the country and take a pledge to fulfill the dreams of Swami Vivekananda.
The AAP has been consistently having an upward graph ever since the results to the Delhi assembly elections and the drive by the AAP to have one crore people sign up for the party has left the BJP a bit more nervous, though partymen claim that the AAP will not cut into their votes. Modi may step up gas to regain traction that seems to have been lost, at least in perception.
At a time when the BJP is feeling the heat from AAP, political analysts feel that the BJP's prime ministerial candidate has to strike a chord with the national electorate and show why he is their man Friday and not Arvind Kejriwal, whose policies seem to be gaining faith of the urban middle class hitherto BJP's stronghold.
Irani concurred that people in India as well as the Indian diaspora abroad was eagerly waiting to listen to Modi and the party's policies when he addresses what the BJP claimed a 1.5 lakh people who are scheduled to attend the Merces rally, an adjoining area of Panaji.
In Goa, there is an expectation on what Modi's stance will be on mining, Portuguese nationality issue and special status for the state. Parrikar has gone on record that he will take up these issues if Modi became Prime Minister. Also,the party has to make its stand clear since the Parrikar government has not yet fulfilled its poll promises on several issues including medium of instruction, mining and regional plan 2021. The electorate is keenly watching the formation of the AAP state unit which has received considerable attention. There is also an air of expectation on the policy of the party towards OBC, which forms over 25 per cent of the state's electorate.
Political analysts say that the church and the electorate are keen to know what promises Modi makes to the minorities. The church which has always supported good governance is expected to take a view on what will benefit Goans.
Reacting to former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa's decision to rejoin the BJP, Irani said she felt it only strengthened the NDA as 'people from every quarter are joining the NDA'. "We will adopt all means to strengthen the party," Irani said, adding that this rally is not restricted to Goa but to households across the country.
Irani said that this time, more women will be given BJP tickets to contest the Lok Sabha election adding that the party aims to win 272 plus seats and is absolutely confident of achieving its target.
Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar said that it is very difficult to provide transportation for over one lakh people for the meeting, as 2,000 buses carrying 50 passengers each will be required to transport people to the venue. "We cannot get 2,000 buses, but we have managed to hire 1,200 buses, 900 from Goa and 300 from neighbouring states".
The chief minister said that a house-to-house campaign had been carried out in constituencies close to the venue. "We have requested the people within 10km distance from the venue to come with their families as they can come on their own," he added.
He also expects at least 10,000 people from Panaji for the rally. "I can guarantee that around 30,000 people from Panaji, Porvorim, St Andre, St Cruz and Taleigao, are likely to attend the meeting," Parrikar added.
Besides Modi, the rally would be addressed by BJP national president Rajnath Singh, Parrikar, North Goa MP Shripad Naik and BJP state president Vinay Tendulkar.