Gujarat elections: quotable quotes from the campaign

At a rally in Mandvi on December 7, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi attacked Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's claims on development in the state and accused his government of ignoring the welfare of poor and farmers. "The UPA government has been allocating thousands of crores to various states, including Gujarat, without any bias. But nobody knows how this money is spent (in Gujarat). They are not bothered about the poor. They are only concerned about themselves." "Our critics are trying to weaken our relationship between you and our party, but have failed. I salute your commitment and honesty and refuse to fall prey to such misleading campaign."

On December 7, after Sonia Gandhi's rally in Mandvi, Chief Minister Narendra Modi attacked the Congress president at a rally in Jamnagar saying she was "spreading lies" against his government. "It is shameful how Sonia Gandhi is spreading lies on issues about which Congress has lost right to speak." "Women do not find it safe going outside after 6:30 PM in Delhi....But Madam Soniaji says situation of law and order is not good in Gujarat...She has no right to speak on law and order."

Just a week earlier, on December 1, campaigning for the Gujarat elections in Vadodara, senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj came out in open support for Chief Minister Narendra Modi as a potential prime ministerial candidate for the next general elections. "There are no boundaries for the post of Prime Minister. I feel Narendra Modi is capable to become the next PM and I have no doubts about it. He is both capable and suitable for holding the PM's post."

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on December 9 launched a frontal attack on the Narendra Modi government at a poll rally in Vansada in the state. "We don't indulge in politics of dividing the society like the opposition parties... Such politics cannot benefit any political party for a longer period. Time has come that you people should rid Gujarat of such politics and don't let such people come to power who try to get votes by dividing our society and country."

Shweta Bhatt, who has never contested elections before, spoke about why she was taking on Narendra Modi. She filed her nomination papers on November 30, where she said... "We have moved far away from democracy in Gujarat and to restore it, everyone has to do whatever they can. Fighting against Modi is the logical step in our quest for democracy and to curb anti-democratic forces."

"Modi is undertaking great development work in Gujarat. He is a role model for chief ministers of other states on how to rule, govern and take care of even the poorest," Senior leader LK Advani said while addressing election rallies at Kalol and Mansa in Gandhinagar district on December 3.

Criticising Congress president Sonia Gandhi over her remark that the BJP government's claims about development in Gujarat were "hollow and false", Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley on December 8 said signs of growth are clearly visible in the state at a rally in Ahmedabad. "In 2002 and 2007 the Congress had run a personalised campaign against Mr Modi, but his time they appear to be in two minds on their campaign. For a decade their strategy was different. But Mr Modi is a reality here."