Support for BJP massive in Gujarat: PM Modi

The support for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is massive in Gujarat, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.

Addressing a rally here, the prime minister said, "I have been campaigning in Kutch, Saurashtra and South Gujarat. The support for the BJP is massive everywhere," Prime Minister Modi said.

Continuing his attack on Congress ahead of the assembly elections, he further said people would ensure to defeat those who have been defaming Gujarat.

"People are not only keen to see the BJP win, but also ensure that those who are defaming Gujarat are defeated," said Prime Minister Modi.

He also remembered how Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had helped Junagarh's accession to India.

"In Junagadh, I want to ask you if it was not for Sardar Patel where would we be? We recall with pride how Sardar Patel integrated the nation," he said.

He accused the Congress Party of ignoring development in Junagarh.

"While we worked hard to make Junagadh the tourism capital, Congress did not devote attention to this region. They stalled the ropeway project for years. For Congress, 'work' was giving a handpump. They never envisioned something like a SAUNI Yojana," the prime minister said.

Saurashtra-Narmada Avataran Irrigation Yojana (Sauni Yojana) has been launched to divert one MAFt excess over flowing flood water of Narmada allocated to Saurashtra Region. The excess over flowing flood water of Narmada will be distributed to 115 reservoirs of 11 districts of Saurashtra through total 1126 km-long four link pipelines benefitting 10,22,589 acres of land.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi addressed rallies in Dharampur and Bhavnagar.

While addressing a rally in Dharampur, the prime minister took a jibe at the 'dynastic politics' of the Congress Party by dubbing the party's Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's expected 'elevation' as an 'Aurangzeb Raj'. Aurangzeb was the last effective Mughal emperor.

In Bhavnagar, Prime Minister Modi said Congress learnt divide and rule policy from the British.

Gujarat has a total number of 182 assembly seats and the polling will be held in two phases. Voting in 89 constituencies of Saurashtra and South Gujarat region will be held in the first phase while the remaining 93 constituencies in central and northern regions will be held in the second phase. The votes will be counted on December 18.

The Congress is eyeing to dethrone the ruling BJP in Gujarat. The last Congress government in Gujarat was led by Chhabildas Mehta from February 17, 1994 to March 13, 1995.