With the upcoming polls in mind, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will kick start his Vivekananda Yuva Vikas Yatra on September 11, coinciding the day spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda made his celebrated speech at the Chicago Conference of World Religions. Modi’s yatra will cover all the parts of Gujarat which is expecting the assembly election in December.
Modi's rival Congress has already structured four major yatras in the state, where as this is Modi's first yatra ahead of Gujarat poll.
"The yatra will start from Becharaji temple town of North Gujarat in the presence of former BJP president Rajnath Singh and Rajya Sabha opposition leader Arun Jaitley," BJP spokesperson Vijay Rupani told Press Trust of India.
"As this is the 150th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda speech at the Conference of World Religions, 150 small yatras will also be taken out along with the main yatra to cover all taluka centres and villages possible,” Rupani said.
While briefing about Modi’s yatra to the media persons, Rupani added that Modi will use the hi-tech chariot of L K Advani which he had used for his Jan Chetna Yatra last year. He also said the ‘Rath’ for the state tour has already reached Gujarat.
Meanwhile, Modi was disparaged by former Chief Ministster Keshubhai Patel for using the name of Swami Vivekanda for mere political gains. On Friday, Patel also tagged Modi as a 'crime manager’ in his blog.
However, Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy has extended his full support for Modi’s yatra and poll campaign. On Friday, he has appealed to the people of Gujarat to vote for Modi and asked the people to corner Congress party in the upcoming election.
“I would appeal to the people of Gujarat to give Narendra Modi-led BJP a huge majority and not let Congress get a single seat, because Congress hates Gujarat. Nehru, India’s first prime minister, hated Sardar Patel and even doubted him for the murder of Mahatma Gandhi,” The Indian Express quoted Swamy as saying.
