Narendra Modi sets off for final campaign round

, Dec 1: Gujarat Chief Minister

on Saturday set off for the final round of his campaign from Somnath for the upcoming assembly polls on December 13 and 17. Modi, who is seeking a third consecutive mandate, is expected to visit six places in Saurashtra and southern parts of the state during the campaign.

Modi, who took over as the CM of Gujarat in 2001, will contest from Ahmedabad's Maninagar seat. His opponent is Shweta Bhatt, wife of IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, who is contesting on a ticket of the Congress. Bhatt is known for levelling ellegations against Modi that the latter had asked the state police to glo slow against the perpetrators during the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Modi had won from Maninagar both in the 2002 and 2007 elections. In 2007, he defeated his Congress opponent by around 75,000 votes.

While 87 constituencies in the state will go to the polls on December 13, the rest 95 seats spread over 12 districts will witness elections on December 17. The counting will take place on December 20.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj backed Modi, saying the latter was a right candidate to become the Prime Minister of India.

OneIndia News