(Let me introduce you to PM Modi who is up for reelection in India  beginning tomorrow. This post was before Mr. Modi’s first national election. I have written quite a few posts on Mr. Modi. If you would like to read them type in Modi in the search bar. I thought this one is the most interesting an introduction before either election !) Incredible India!

Opinionated Man(aopinionatedman.com) is asking for posts from people who value the importance of voicing his/her opinion. So here sits this white, American woman talking about Mr. Modi, the current Chief Minister in Gujarat, India! Why you might ask?  We stayed in Ahmedabad, the capital city of Gujarat, for four months.  India is just on the precipice, poised to either soar to the heavens or continue in timidity while  remaining under  the control of a royal family!  What, the British handed over the country in 1947, you might say?  But when they left, the Nehru/Gandhi family was there to step in. More about them later.

First, I want to introduce Mr. Modi to you.  From the picture you can see his vision and though words are cheap, he has lived by them.  He was born in Gujarat into a lower, middle class family. His first entrance into business was with his brother as  teenagers running a tea stall near the train terminal. He worked his way up through the ranks in  the pre-BJP. to the BJP of today. In 2001,  he was ready to step into the failing shoes of Mr. Patel, and replace  the inept  administrator ,who was accused of  corruption and  abuse of power .  Mr. Modi believed in privatization, capitalism,  small government, and this  began his rise to “rock star” status.

In. 2002, there were wide-spread anit-Muslim riots in Gujarat. Radical Muslims  had burned a train of Hindu pilgrims and this began the riots.  Mr. Modi has been accused of turning a blind eye to the Muslim persecution, but a court has  ruled that he was not complicit in these horrendous crimes. The accusations have continued and the US has denied him a visa for a visit several times because of demonstrations here. In America, I thought someone is considered innocent until proven guilty?   I wonder what will happen if he is appointed Prime Minister?   Since  2002, there have been no more anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat.

In the mean time, Glittering Gujarat has begun to shine in India and the world under his leadership. He has been elected three times by his constituents and there is evidence as to why.  Gujarat is the fastest growing state in India, the economy is the fastest growing in India, best IT area ( Mr. Modi is quite proud that all his police are computer literate), and in a country where place after place that we visited had blackouts of electricity, Gujurat is selling excess back to the company. I remember only once in all the time that we were there , a black out of only a few minutes. The agriculture profits have grown to 9.6% , the  highest in this mostly agrarian country and he has a triving International Kite Festival and hosted an international conference on economics this year.  One statistic  that I was amazed at was that when Mr. Modi became CM, there were 11 colleges in and around Ahmedabad and now there are 42!  It is being called the Boston of India.  All those young people are poised to take on the world!  Mr. Modi says that India has the largest population of educated youth in the world. ( China has the one child family planning policy.) The young people are energized and love Mr. Modi. He is their hope for positive change.  Tourism is up 30% in two years thanks in part to the “Breathe in a Bit of Gujarat) beautiful professionally made commercials These promote tourist destinations and are narrated  the beloved Bollywood star, Amatabh Bachchan who is set to film his third round of promotions.

Now to the Congress Party , the party in power nationally.  I was shocked watching them on TV and reminded of the royal family in Britain with their distance from the people and seemingly bored indifference.  Dr. Singh, who is the Prime Minister, never speaks, doesn’t hold news conferences or connect with the people. It is said that he is the ” place holder” until Rahul, who is the current VP, is ready to be Prime Minister. He will be the fifth generation of this family to be in power, if his party is reelected. The Guardian paper had a very clear quote about the Gandhi family(2007) :

“The Nehru/Gandhi family brand has no peer in the world-a member of the Gandhi family has been in charge of India for 40 of the 60 years since independence.  The allure of India’s first family blend the right to rule of the British monarchy with the tragic glamour of the American Kennedy clan.”

Mr. Rahul Gandhi appears distant and disinterested on TV.  He has made no major contributions to the country and is merely waiting his  coronation,unless the people of India have had enough of this family and their lack- luster contributions to the  country. India continues the Parliamentarian form of elections so there is no direct election of Prime Minister, as is the case in Britain.

Let me finish with two Narendra Modi stories. When asked if he was going to provide each student with a laptop upon graduation he replied, ” I am providing a good education so that they can get a good job and buy their own laptop!”

During the horror and tragedy in Uttarakhand  this year, the government and many of the  the states sent food and supplies in large buses , not thinking that roads were  no longer accessible or even there.  Mr. Modi sent helicopters filled with supplies and saved many stranded , hungry souls.

Naremdra Modi is a smart, seasoned politician. He has vision and the will to carry it out with hard work and determination. He has  a proven record in Gujarat as charismatic, a vibrant eloquent speaker,  and a leader to give hope and tools to the youth of India. He  may be a Rambo, sometimes in style, but his state loves him and what he has done to bring prosperity to all Gujarati citizens.  He is ready now to take his “Modi Model” to the whole country and be the leader for all of India.  India is ready to become a leader in the world but they need a strong  leader to guide them.  Namo Modi is the man!

( People  laugh  at me and says I should be Mr. Modi’s American campaign manager….hmmm.. . . . .. . .  “Namo, I am waiting by the phone!”)

Namaste. . . .  This is Incredible India!