- Title: INDIA: New leader Narendra Modi addresses supporters in his constituency
- Date: 18th May 2014
- Summary: THIS EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL THAT WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3 VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH INDIA (MAY 17, 2014) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) CONVOY OF CAR CARRYING HINDU NATIONALIST LEADER NARENDRA MODI, ARRIVING CAR ROOFTOP COVERED WITH PETALS MODI SITTING ON THE FRONT SEAT OF CAR AND GREETING PEOPLE WITH FOLDED HANDS HUNDREDS OF MODI SUPPORTERS THRONGING BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET CONVOY MOVING TOWARDS BANKS OF RIVER GANGES MODI SURROUNDED BY SECURITY PERSONNEL JOSTLING HIS WAY THROUGH SUPPORTERS FLOWER PETALS BEING SHOWERED ON MODI ILLUMINATED BANKS OF GANGES MODI OFFERING HOLY WATER HUNDREDS OF SUPPORTERS STANDING AT BRIGHTLY LIT BANK MODI PERFORMING HINDU CEREMONY OF LIGHT SUPPORTERS AT THE BANKS MODI OFFERING PETALS TO RIVER BRIGHTLY LIT BANKS MODI SITTING ON DECORATED STAGE WITH OTHER LEADERS MODI WATCHING FESTIVITIES PRIEST PERFORMING CEREMONY ANOTHER PRIEST WORSHIPPING THE HOLY RIVER GANGES WITH INCENSE STICKS BRIGHTLY LIT RIVER BANK HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE STANDING AS PRIESTS PERFORM CEREMONY MODI STANDING AND TAPPING HIS HAND IN SYNC WITH HYMNS RIVER BANK (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) HINDU NATIONALIST LEADER, NARENDRA MODI, SAYING: "They did not give me an opportunity even to ask (for support) from the people of Banaras (Varanasi). My lips were sealed and therefore I established a 'connection of silence' with you. I don't think there has been any election in India where without speaking a single word, where a leader was gagged from speaking to his electorate." SUPPORTERS LISTENING TO MODI (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) HINDU NATIONALIST LEADER, NARENDRA MODI, SAYING: "For the first time ever after independence, a non-Congress party single-handedly has got a clear majority to serve the people of this country." RIVER BANK (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) HINDU NATIONALIST LEADER, NARENDRA MODI, SAYING: "We have seen governments being formed from coalition but for the first time it seems that even the formation of recognisable opposition (in the Indian Parliament) would require some sort of coalition. Till now there is no strong opposition. The people of the country have slapped them in such a way that they have to first try and set a recognisable opposition in the first place." HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AT THE RIVER BANK MODI WAVING TO PEOPLE MODI LEAVING
- Embargoed: 1st June 2014 21:10
- Keywords:
- Location: India
- Country: India
- Topics: International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVADYGIQPI3P0XC194FIECND80YY
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: India's newly-elected leader Narendra Modi on Saturday (May 17) visited one of his two constituencies -- the north Indian temple town of Varanasi.
Modi took part in a Hindu ceremony on the banks of the river Ganges, where hundreds of people had gathered to greet him.
In the last phase of the mammoth Indian election, Modi was denied permission to hold a rally in the city due to fear of law and order problems.
His Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) has alleged that the city's election commissioner was politically motivated in issuing the gagging order.
"They did not give me an opportunity even to ask (for support) from the people of Banaras (Varanasi). My lips were sealed and therefore I established a 'connection of silence' with you. I don't think so there has been any election in India where without speaking a single word, where a leader was gagged from speaking to his electorate," Modi told his supporters.
The leader also lashed out at the Congress party, which led the outgoing ruling coalition.
"For the first time ever after independence, a non-Congress party single-handedly has got a clear majority to serve the people of this country," he said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Congress party suffered its worst ever wipeout, a big boost to Modi's goal of ending the dominance of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that has governed for most of the 67 years of independent India.
Modi's landslide was welcomed with a thundering rally on stock markets and raucous celebrations at offices across the country of his BJP, where supporters danced, exploded fireworks and handed out sweets.
The BJP has a parliamentary majority in 543-member, giving the 63-year-old former tea-seller Modi ample room to advance economic reforms which were started 23 years ago by current Prime Minister Singh but stalled in recent years.
Continuing his scathing attack on Congress, Modi said the huge mandate in his favour had dented even the opposition.
"We have seen governments being formed from coalition but for the first time it seems that even the formation of recognisable opposition (in the Indian Parliament) would require some sort of coalition."
With more than six times the seats of its closest rival, Modi's is the most decisive mandate for any leader since the 1984 assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi propelled her son Rajiv to office. Since 1989, India has been governed by coalitions. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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