Stint in Gandhinagar helped me in New Delhi, says Modi

Sanosara (Guj), Aug 30 (PTI) Prime Minister NarendraModi today said after over two years in office he has learnedthe ropes and asserted that his long stint as Gujarat ChiefMinister helped him in his job in New Delhi. Modi also assured the people of Gujarat he will not doany thing which will bring a bad name to his home state. "There have been a lot of complaints from Gujarat thatonce I went to Delhi (after becoming Prime Minister in May2014), I have not been coming often to the state." "Former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, BJP workersand even the people have time and again complained to me Ihave not been coming here often," he said at the inaugurationof Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation (Sauni) project herein Jamnagar district. "When I went to Delhi, everything there was new to me.There was a lot of things to learn, to observe, but now I havelearned the job," Modi said. "What I learned from Gujarat has also been very useful tome," Modi, who served as the chief minister from 2001 tomid-2014, said. "When the people of the country have accepted a son ofGujarat as the Prime Minister, I would like to assure I willnot do any work which may make people of the state feelashamed," he said. "The way I had worked for development of the state, in thesame way I will work for development of the country," thePrime Minister asserted. he said he is indebted to the land on which he has grownup, the land from which he learned so much. The PM addressed his first public rally inGujarat here, which will go the polls in late-2017, aftertaking office in 2014. Talking about his government, Modi said the BJP-ledruling coalition has brought a change in functioning of theadministration. "You look at newspapers of before May 2014 and look atnewspapers of now, you will find the difference. Thisgovernment is working in a mission mode for developmentof the country. The country is moving forward at a very fastpace," Modi said. PTI KA PD RSYASV