Wednesday, February 15, 2012

What makes Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi special


Ahmedabad, Feb 15: Today the 'Gujarat Model of Development' is among the most discussed success stories in any forum discussing the growth of India. Gujarat and development have become two sides of the same coin as it shows the way in every aspect of development and administration. The development in Gujarat is truly all round and all-inclusive.

The success story of Gujarat prompts another question: what is different about Chief Minister Narendra Modi from the others? As the captain of the ship, how is he able to
steer the ship to newer heights however rough the sea may be? What makes him different from the others? These are questions only statistics cannot answer. One needs to take a look at the person Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi is, the way he is able to turn every challenge into an opportunity and every opportunity into reality. Look back at the history of Gujarat and it will be crystal clear why he is simply a cut above the rest. He is both a thinker and a doer. With his feet firmly on the ground, his head is firmly held high!

Here we try to look at some of his qualities that make Narendra Modi a novelty in every sense of the word!

Mass Leader:

“Individual efforts can bring excellence but only collective efforts can deliver effectively” – Shri Narendra Modi

For Chief Minister Modi, the cardinal rule is- 'We' must take precedence over 'I”. In every sense he remains a true mass leader. His humble beginnings, his work as a Pracharak and later on in the BJP have enabled him to connect with a cross section of people the way only few other leaders can. Be it a routine visit to inspect developmental activities or an election rally, there is always a sea of humanity waiting for a glimpse of their favourite leader. Even a brief handshake or 'Namaste' can energize well-wishers like no other. It was seen on many occasions that well-wishers kept a variety of 'mannats' (votive) for the success of Shri Modi. For him to return as the Chief Minister, well-wishers undertook pilgrimages hoping their prayers would ensure their favourite leader returns as the Chief Minister of the State.

This sort of affection for a leader is much more than politics. It is an emotional chord that has come with years of service and dedication towards the people of our nation. His fan following is extremely diverse; from the concrete jungles of urban India to the farmlands of the villages, he is equally respected. Men, women, old, young, boys, and girls no one has remained untouched by the 'Modi mania'. His popularity has transcended the borders of India too. At the recent Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, he won the hearts of the diaspora and was accorded a standing ovation for his speech there.

In the midst of files and policy decisions that consume a lot of time, Shri Modi remains one of the most accessible leaders today. Those who have met him recall with great zeal how he simply won over their hearts in a span of a few minutes! When Shri Modi meets somebody, he does so with his heart and mind and all attention is focused on the person he meets. There are no flies, no aides around him- it's just him and the person he is meeting! It is simple to meet Shri Modi. There is an instance of a well wisher who sought time with Shri Modi on Twitter. Little did the person know that those 140 characters would pave way for an opportunity of a lifetime when a meeting with Shri Modi became a reality. This is Narendra Modi for you!

Obsessed with Development of Gujarat:

“Our goal is Gujarat's growth for India's growth”- Shri Narendra Modi

For Shri Narendra Modi, it is Gujarat first! He single-handedly reversed the trend of election driven decision-making. Gone are the days when policy was influenced by every other factor apart from development, when votes determined what would happen to the State. Infact, by putting development above politics Chief Minister Modi did the unthinkable. Just before the last Assembly Elections in Gujarat he went overseas in connection with investments for Gujarat. For a normal politician, securing re-election becomes the priority as early a year before the election but for Shri Narendra Modi even months before elections he was securing investments for Gujarat not bothering about getting re-elected.

The results of this selfless dedication are for all to see. There is no sector in Gujarat that has not developed over the last decade. In fact, in a radius of 25 kilometers in any part of Gujarat there will be some or the other development work happening. It is this hard work of Shri Modi that has ensured Gujarat witnesses double digit growth for the first time since its birth in 1960. Gujarat was never at first place in industrial investment in the past but now things are different. In fact in a time when the overall investment climate in the country is going through a rough phase, Gujarat bucked the trend and secured large investments. A state never known for agriculture witnessed 11% agriculture growth that was higher than the national average!

These are the results when a visionary rises above petty politics and places development of 6 crore Gujaratis as his sole mission.

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