He said people have been speculating for the last couple of days as to who will be the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate, but it is now clear that the next Prime Minister will be from the BJP and it will be L K Advani.

Addressing a women’s convention rally at Halol, Modi reacted to the criticism of his claims of success in the Vibrant Gujarat summits. With Ambani and Mittal patting his back, speculation was rife, even within the BJP, as Advani was always projected as their PM candidate.

Modi rubbished all speculations without naming anybody and accused a tolki (a group of people) sitting in Delhi for deliberately raising the controversy to divert attention from the success of the summit. BJP leaders in Delhi had to clear the air following Mittal-Ambani statements, while downplaying the same.

“After the development work we have undertaken in Gujarat, Delhi has now realised that a BJP government can come to power in the Centre. Our leader, L K Advani, will be the Prime Minister. Under his leadership, the whole country will witness rapid growth like Gujarat,” Modi said.

He came down heavily on his critics in the Opposition, saying that during the Congress rule, the annual budget of the Roads and Buildings Department was just Rs 450 crore.

Now, it has risen to Rs 4,450 crore. The CM added that 25 lakh new jobs will be created in the state.

He also alleged that the UPA government in Delhi downplayed the truth about investments made by companies in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit ‘09 by wasting their energies over mindless political games. “Gujarat Ma Nava Kirtiman deshmate prasapit karwama jan Shakti samarthya same kadav vichar nada ne sidhi samajh nathi ke duniya na 40 desho ma mahanuvov company sanchalako avine Rs 12 lakh crores jahar kare ane 25 lakh navi rojgari tako itle Gujarat akha desh ma chavai jase. Ave vithi thi ave aakhi ghatnane aade pate chadava Dilli ma baithela aa tattva Gujarat na samarthyani sachi baat ne dabawi dewa ane bada Pradhan Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) kaun banse?” (Despite recession, Gujarat has been able to attract experienced investors from 40 different countries who have invested Rs 12 lakh crore, which will generate 25 lakh jobs. On the other hand, elements sitting in Delhi have downplayed the success by engaging in political games about who would be the PM candidate of the BJP).