PM Narendra Modi (file photo).

Ahmedabad:

Gujarat Assembly Elections 2022: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a dig at his predecessor Dr. Manmohan Singh on Monday, saying that till 2014, despite the well-known economist being the Prime Minister in the Congress-led government, the country's economy had moved up just one place to the 10th position.

Describing himself as a humble 'chaiwala', Modi said after becoming the prime minister in 2014, in eight years of rule, the country's economy has become the fifth largest in the world.

Addressing a rally in support of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates in Gujarat's Rajkot, the Prime Minister compared his performance with the 10-year tenure of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Singh was the Prime Minister of the country from 2004 to 2014.

Voting will be held on December 1 under the first phase for 89 out of 182 assembly seats in the state.

This was Modi's last rally before the first phase of polling.

Modi said, “Before I took over as prime minister in 2014, the Congress was in power for 10 years.

When the Congress first came to power in 2004, we had a renowned economist (Manmohan Singh) as our prime minister and the Indian economy was ranked 11th in the world." 

He said, “However whatever he did in later years, the Indian economy became the 10th largest.

It took 10 years for India to come from 11th to 10th number.

Modi said, “In 2014, you handed over the reins to a tea seller.

I have never claimed that I am an economist.

But I have faith in the capability of the citizens."


He said that in the last eight years, India's economy moved from 10th to 5th position.

The Prime Minister said, “So just compare.

It took 10 years to move from 11th position to 10th position (under Congress rule) and eight years to move from 10th position to fifth position (under BJP government)."

Modi said that after independence, India has broken all export records and the country has become a favorite destination for investors.

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