A large number of Gujarati Non-Resident Indians have landed in the state to lend support to the BJP in the Assembly elections slated for December 11 and 16.
By Ravishankar
Ahmedabad, Dec.8 : A large number of Gujarati Non-Resident Indians have landed in the state to lend support to the BJP in the Assembly elections slated for December 11 and 16.
Over 100 NRI supporters of Chief Minister Narendra Modi have arrived in the city till date and many more are to follow suit to lend their support to him.
A majority of them feel that Gujarat has developed under Modi's stewardship.
Although they cannot vote in the elections, NRIs from the USA and the UK are pumping in funds into Modi's campaign kitty.
Member of Overseas Friends of BJP in USA, Dr. Vasudev Patel, said:, " Groups from Overseas Friends of BJP in USA have come from Chicago, California and New York and still some more are expected in couple of days, as we would like to see to it that Narendra Modi becomes next Chief Minister, as he is the future of Gujarat."
Gopal Trivedi, a businessman from Chicago, and an ardent supporter of Modi, said that about 100 like-minded NRIs in the US and the UK have decided to come to Gujarat to support Modi as they believe he is ushering in growth and development.
"To counter mud slinging against Narendra Modi we have decided to come here and see that he doesn't suffer on that account as he has done a lot for the development of Gujarat."
Another NRI, Basudev Brahmbhatt says, "We are very pleased with the progress of state under Modi's leadership, and don't want it to go to waste. So, we wish to help him in whichever way possible."
Maintaining that the NRI community is diligently keeping a track of the events in Gujarat and India, Patel said: "Many Indians living abroad don't mind coming back to the country now.
Rejecting claims of huge donations by NRIs, Member of Parliament and State BJP General Secretary Jayantilal Barot said: " NRIs have come to support Narendra Modi on their own and we have not invited them to come here and campaign for the party. They are using their own means to do the needful."
The BJP party office is buzzing with overseas supporters who have come to lend their support to Modi. NRIs always pitch in for this purpose since they have a good support base in their respective areas where they invest lot of money and exercise influence over voters.
Meanwhile, there are some NRIs who say they have not come back to Gujarat because of their loyalty to any particular party, but because they wanted development for their native state.
ANI