PM Modi goes down memory lane in Haryana

Mahendragarh (Haryana):

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while campaigning for the BJP candidate in Mahendragarh on Thursday, went down memory lane and recalled the months he spent in the state working for the party organisation.

“It is not possible that I come to Haryana and not remember my old memories. I can spot many old faces here. For years, Haryana was, in a way, my home I have learned a lot of political lessons from Haryana and Punjab,” Prime Minister Modi said, addressing an election rally here hours before the end of campaigning for the sixth phase of elections. .

After greeting the people of the country on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, Prime Minister Modi recalled the days when he worked as the state in-charge of the party in 1995.

“Usually state (BJP) officials come to visit me, but I used to live here. At that time, Manohar Lal (Khattar) looked after the party's organizational work while Ramesh Joshi was the 'State of our party,' he said.

Mr. Joshi, Mr. Khattar and he were traveling across the state, Prime Minister Modi said.

“I ate a lot of food prepared by our mothers and sisters from the state. And I remember Surja'halwai 'sweets from Narnaul and Mahendragarh. Perhaps due to this, our Ram Bilas has become diabetic,” he said, pointing to senior Haryana BJP leader Ram Bilas Sharma.

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Union Minister and Gurugram MP Rao Inderjit Singh, Bhiwani-Mahendragarh sitting MP Dharambir Singh, who is seeking re-election to the seat, were also present.

Prime Minister Modi said having a glass of 'rabri'A 'roast' and an onion, which were enough to satisfy their hunger in summer.

“Jith Seedha Saada Khana, Woh Mera Haryana (Haryana is the place where you get simple and good food),” he said.

“The whole world is now seeing the power of Haryana ghee and butter. (The whole world is today witnessing the power of Haryana butter),” he said, apparently referring to the state which sends a significant number of its youth to join the armed forces and its athletes and sportsmen, who have won several medals at international championships.

Prime Minister Modi also recalled having 'Bajra Khichdi' dripping with ghee.

“I am a Gujarati man. I couldn't eat that much but I still remember the love with which people gave it,” he said.

“Modi has to do a lot of work to repay your debt. Haryana has to reach new heights…And for that, it has to be 'Then once again…',” said the Prime Minister, to which the crowd responded with Modi Sarkar”.

He gave an assurance that the BJP and its government would not let Haryana's development come to a halt and appealed to the people to vote for the BJP in the elections.

The Prime Minister also said that in Haryana, at least 5,000 people would be found calling and stopping him saying “Modi ji zara ruk jao”. Haryana has showered him with a lot of love and he enjoys deep rapport with the people of the state. This is why Haryana has rights over him, the Prime Minister said.

He said that for 10 years, they continued to show the same love. “Who can be luckier than me,” he asked.

Recalling the period when the BJP and Chaudhary Bansi Lal's HVP formed an alliance in the 1990s, Modi said, “He (Lal) was committed to the development of Bhiwani-Mahendragarh. I had close ties with Chaudhary Bansi Lal. I would wake up late into the night. Sometimes our meetings started after 1 a.m. and continued until morning. He had a lot of experiences to share,” he said.

The Prime Minister said there would hardly be a meeting without Mr. Lal getting tears in his eyes every time a reference to Swami Dayanand was made, he said.

“Bansi Lal ji loved me so much. I belonged to Gujarat and Swami Dayan and Saraswati's birthplace was also Gujarat. So a bond was built between us. And, in the world of governance, we worked together for years,” he said.

Voting for the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana will take place on Saturday. In 2019, the BJP had won all 10 seats.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)