PM Modi praises Sonowal for discharging duties despite polls

Updated on: 23 May,2016 07:54 AM IST |
IANS |

Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday praised union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for discharging his ministerial duties despite being busy with Assam assembly elections

Narendra Modi and Sarbananda Sonowal

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday praised union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for discharging his ministerial duties despite being busy with Assam assembly elections.

Narendra Modi and Sarbananda Sonowal

Modi appreciated the minister for paying a surprise visit to National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala, where the athletes were preparing for the Rio Olympics.

The games are due to take place in Brazil in August this year. "In this regard I want to appreciate Sarbananda Sonowal. In the poll season, he went to NIS-Patiala for a surprise visit," the prime minister said in his 21st radio address 'Mann Ki Baat'.

Sonowal was declared the chief ministerial candidate by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) before the Assam assembly polls were held on April 4 and 11.

"There were polls; he was a CM candidate but Sarbananda Sonowal performed his duty as a sports minister. This is a big thing," said Modi. "It is essential to be positive about our athletes. Let us not worry about the results," he added.