Can't run a country by dangling bait, 'throwing pieces', PM Modi tells farmers

In first public rally in Gujarat, PM Narendra Modi launches veiled attack on Congress in the heartland of the restive Patel community

Sanosara: Holding his first public rally in poll-bound Gujarat after taking office in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday reached out to farmers from the heartland of the restive Patel community after launching an irrigation project.

Narendra Modi at the rally in Sanosara vllage. Pic/PTI

Modi also launched a veiled attack on the Congress after inaugurating the first phase of the ambitious Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation (SAUNI) project here, saying that polls can be won by dangling baits and “throwing pieces”, but a country can’t be run by doing so.

“You can win polls by throwing pieces, but you cannot run a country by doing so. We do not believe in throwing pieces. We worked hard for almost 15 years for this project to bring transformation and development,” Modi told a huge gathering at the Sanosara village in Jamnagar district in the patidar (or patel)-dominated Saurashtra region.

The Congress has termed the inauguration of Sauni Scheme at this juncture by the PM as an attempt to woo the voters ahead of the polls.

‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’
In his address, Modi remembered his days as Gujarat Chief Minister when people did not understand his vision to bring transformation in agriculture sector. He later added how water of Narmada River has now reached the extreme end of parched Kutch. “We worked on the motto of Jai Jawan and Jai Kisan. Water from Narmada has transformed the lives of farmers too. This season, farmers of Kutch exported 70,000 tonnes of Kesar mangoes.” Modi said.

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