The Hindu : Vote first, food next, says Modi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 10, 2002

National

National

Vote first, food next, says Modi

Ahmedabad Dec. 9. Apparently worried over the possibility of low voter turnout due to the large number of marriages scheduled on December 12, the polling day in Gujarat, the Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, tonight appealed to the people to exercise their franchise first and then attend the wedding ceremonies.

`Pehle matdaan, phir kanyadaan' (first voting and then the marriage ceremony) he said at a public meeting in his Maninagar Assembly constituency where the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was the star speaker. Mr. Modi also appealed to the women to wind up their morning chores as early as possible, so that they can go to the polling booths and exercise their franchise.

He also had a separate slogan `Pehle matdaan, phir jalpaan' (first voting and then preparing of snacks) for women to the utter enthralment of his supporters at the Kankariya football ground.

PTI reports from New Delhi:

Mr. Modi defended the raking up the name of the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, in his poll campaign saying it was in response to the latter's reference to his State at the United Nations. ``I began referring to Mian Musharraf only after he referred to Gujarat in his address to the UN, Modi told `Hotline' programme on Star News.

PTI

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