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In an apparent indication that elections are round the corner, top political leaders have started attending industry conferences to spread their ideas and politics.
After Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi’s speech at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) annual meet here on Thursday, it is now the turn of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, to address another industry chamber. Modi will address the annual general body meeting of the ladies’ wing of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on April 8 here.
Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday, said that the Congress Party was the only political institution capable of forging partnerships with industry to provide economic gains “for the poor and the millions of aspiring middle class.”
“It is the only party, which is inclusive by design and whose core value is promoting harmony,” he said, apparently taking a dig at the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party’s ideology and politics, especially the ‘development’ model being projected by Modi.
Modi is slated speak on “Unleash the entrepreneur within; Exploring new avenues,” at the FICCI function. At various fora, Modi and other BJP leaders have been stressing on “strong leadership” to spur growth. Modi’s favourite one-liner for the industrialists is “minimum Government and maximum governance.” He has been taking digs at “dynasty” politics of the Congress on various occasions.
This will be the first time after the Gujarat elections that Modi will be addressing an industry organisation. “Modi’s deft governance and his ability to attract top business houses in the State would be in full view at a time when it is imperative to achieve a faster pace of growth rate,” a FICCI release said.
A section in the Congress has been demanding that the party should name Rahul Gandhi as the next Prime Ministerial candidate.
But, on Thursday he said that such talk was ‘all smoke’. “It can’t be about a person. It is ridiculous. We have to move on in this country from the old idea of the guy on the horseback charging through and going to fix everything. That is not going to work,” Rahul said.
In BJP, too, discussions are aplenty on projecting Modi as the Prime Ministerial candidate. Modi has been maintaining that his model of development in Gujarat could be replicated in other States and at the national level.
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