New Delhi, May 21 – After heading Gujarat for over 12 years, Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi will put in his papers as Chief Minister of Gujarat on Wednesday. Anandiben Patel, 72, is expected to be formally anointed chief minister of the state.
Modi, who was appointed Prime Minister on Tuesday by President Pranab Mukherjee, will also resign as member of Gujarat legislative Assembly. Before tendering his resignation to Governor Kamla Beniwal, Modi will attend a special session of the state legislative Assembly where he will be accorded a farewell by the members.
“He will submit his resignation at around 3.30 pm as the Chief Minister of Gujarat,” state BJP spokesman Harsad Patel said. Modi will later attend a meeting of the BJP legislature party where his successor will be chosen. BJP has appointed senior leader Thavarchand Gehlot as observer for the exercise.
He is also likely to accompany the BJP delegation which would call on the Governor with the new leader who would be appointed Chief Minister before submitting his resignation as MLA to Speaker Vajubhai Vala.
The new Chief Minister is likely to take oath at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar on Thursday where Modi will also be present, Patel said. Modi has been the Chief Minister of Gujarat since October 7, 2001.
On Tuesday, India saw the other side of Modi-the man who can share his deepest emotions about serving motherland, promising a government of the poor that would endeavour to deliver on the people’s mandate for hope and faith. Through his heartfelt words and tears, Modi touched the nation’s conscience once again.
It all happened at the Central Hall of the Parliament where the Bharatiya Janata Party MPs had gathered to elect their parliamentary leader who would lead the nation as prime minister. It was just a formality, as Modi was already the PM candidate of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. But the occasion touched an emotional high with Modi breaking down in tears during his first address to the newly-elected party MPs after they chose him as their leader.
Emotional speech:
In his emotional 30-minute speech, Modi paid tribute to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and mentioned his devotion to the BJP and his gratitude towards senior leaders of the party. The newly-elected MPs listened in rapt attention as Modi listed his priorities, and his promises to work for the poor, youths, women, oppressed and deprived.
Earlier, at the entry to the Parliament, 63-year-old Modi bowed down and touched the steps of the pink sandstone building with his forehead as a mark of respect to the temple of democracy.
Parliament was decked up to welcome the new MPs and Modi received a standing ovation as he walked into the Central Hall. Clad in his trademark kurta and pyjamas and a jacket, Modi was greeted by all and sundry after he touched the feet of veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani. Emotions ran high among the new MPs and even Advani had tears in his eyes.
Advani turned emotional as he said Modi had done a favour to the BJP by taking it to dizzy heights and allowing him to witness an “unforgettable moment” in history. Tears welled up in the eyes of the MPs too as they became part of a new chapter in nation’s history. Moved by Advani’s remarks, Modi fought back tears when he spoke. “Advaniji said I have done a favour to the BJP. I will request him not to use this term,” he said.
He choked up and took a sip of water before continuing his speech. “Can a son do any favour by serving the mother? Not at all! Like India, BJP is also my mother. A son never does any favour. He only serves the mother in a dedicated manner,” Modi said.
Dedicating his government to the poor, he said, “A new hope has arisen in the common man. This is the biggest significance of this election’s results. At the end of the day, for whom is the government? It is for the poor.” Modi, who spoke after being elected the leader of the BJP parliamentary party, mentioned former PM Vajpayee who is unwell.
Modi said the election result was a vote for hope and aspirations and he would try his best to live up to the people’s expectations. “I accept the responsibility you have entrusted upon me. I assure you today that when we meet in 2019 and I present my report card, you will not feel let down,” he said.
He expressed gratitude towards seniors in the BJP, saying, “You can see Modi not because Modi’s stature is very big. You can see Modi because the party’s senior leaders have hoisted me on their shoulders.”
Earlier, Advani, who had opposed Modi’s projection as the prime ministerial candidate, proposed his name for the leader of the parliamentary party. This was seconded by leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Venkaiah Naidu and Nitin Gadkari. His election was followed by the thumping of desks in the iconic Central Hall, which reverberated to the cries of “Bharat mata ki jai”.
At the end of the meeting, BJP president Rajnath Singh invited the new MPs to express their approbation with a standing ovation. They then drove to Rashtrapati Bhavan to convey to the President the election of their leader so that he could stake claim to form the government.
-INDIA TODAY
