Modi files nomination papers from Maninagar

Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Nov 28: Chief Minister Narendra Modi, hoping to retain power in Gujarat, filed his nomination papers today from the Maninagar assembly constituency here.

Mr Modi filed his nomination at the office of Returning Officer of Maninagar constituency in collectorate office in the presence of State BJP President P Rupala and former union minister and sitting MP Harin Pathak.

Polling in Maninagar will be held on December 16 and today is the last date for filing nominations papers.

Describing the election as a ''festival of democracy'', Mr Modi told reporters that BJP will reach out to every corner of the state to convince the 5.5 crore people of Gujarat for ensuring the victory of the party.

Responding to a question, he said this was the first time that the people of the state had set the agenda for the election unlike previous occasions when the political parties, media or NGOs set the agenda.

Replying to a question how the 2007 election is different from the 2002 election, Mr Modi said in the previous election, very few ''people knew me and tested me for five years and everyone now knows me well as they have seen my work''.

Congress has nominated Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dinsha Patel to fight against the Chief Minister in the election.

UNI