To fans he is the “Lion of Gujarat”, saviour of Hindus and the brains behind one of India’s richest states. To critics he is a “merchant of death” with the blood of thousands of Muslims on his hands.
But love or hate Narendra Modi, the Hindu nationalist and Chief Minister of the western state of Gujarat has now staked his claim to leadership of his party - and perhaps his country.
His Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 117 out of 182 seats in a local assembly election yesterday that became a barometer for the looming national elections. Congress won just 59 seats in the state poll that was spread over two weeks and which revived claims that Mr Modi had encouraged the slaughter of at least 2,000 Muslims in rioting in Gujarat in 2002.
“This is a victory of the 55 million people of Gujarat,” Mr Modi, who denies responsibility for the riots but won a state election a few months later on a virulently antiMuslim platform, said. “This historical verdict of people of Gujarat will bring qualitative change in the prevailing Indian politics.”
The result – although expected – was a blow to Congress, which leads the coalition federal Government and had hoped that a surprise victory would allow it to call a general election next year, instead of in 2009. It was particularly disappointing for Sonia Gandhi, the Italian-born Congress leader, and her 37-year-old son and presumed heir, Rahul, who jointly led the campaign in Gujarat.
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