Lavishing praise on senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Lal Kishenchand Advani, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said veteran leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee had made no mistake by selecting the Advani as the party's prime ministerial candidate.
"He has a very high character and has seen every nook and corner of India. I am sure some Congress leaders may not have seen the map of India properly. I assure you that in 2009, we would have a National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre under leadership of Advaniji," he said at the national council meeting in New Delhi.
"The moment I rose to address the gathering, the public address system went dead. Perhaps those in power wanted to remind me that I am in Delhi and not in Gujarat, where three phase electricity is available round the clock. Advaniji is our candidate for prime ministership and I am proud that he is lawmaker from Gujarat," he reminded.
He took the Central government to task for harassing non-Congress chief ministers.
"I was harassed, but I managed to come out of with flying colours. Soon various commissions will start visiting BJP-ruled states, which go in for elections later this year. The blame will be put on the state governments. I ask our party president to spread every nook and corner of the country and start our campaign with chief ministers of the party taking lead role," Modi cautioned.
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