"In good times and bad, we have stood with Morbi...the same cannot be said of the Congress," PM Modi said in Morbi, which votes in the first phase of state Assembly elections on December 9. Morbi, PM Modi said, is typical of the famous Gujarat model that he is credited with developing during his 13 years as Chief Minister.
Continuing his claim that the opposition Congress is anti-Gujarat, the PM said, "When Indira-ben (Indira Gandhi)came to Morbi, she held a handkerchief to her nose against a foul smell."
The crowds that the Prime Minister and Hardik Patel draw in Morbi, famous as a centre for tile manufacturers, are expected to be compared, especially after reports of sub-par attendance at two of PM Modi's rallies in Saurashtra on Monday.
Centrally-located Morbi, held by the BJP for the last two decades, can influence voting in areas around and the ruling party is reportedly worried not just about Patels being upset over quota but also over local complaints on basic amenities like water and roads.
