People voting for development: Modi on BJP's mega win in polls

Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday attributed the BJP's impressive performance in four state polls, including in the politically important Uttar Pradesh, to people voting for development, which he stressed, should be the top priority of elected representatives in a democracy.

On a visit to Gujarat a day after the BJP stormed back to power in four of the five states where assembly polls were held recently, Modi addressed over one lakh representatives from the three tiers of the Panchayati Raj institutions in the state at the 'Panchayat Mahasammelan'. Referring to the voters of those states, Modi said people have now realised that governments are elected for doing development.

"Democracy has its own power. Just yesterday, thanks to that power of democracy, we were able to form government in four states where the party in power have never formed government for a second consecutive term in the past. Now, people have realised that in a democracy, development should be the priority of elected representatives," said Modi in his address at the conference.

Beating back a resurgent rainbow coalition led by the Samajwadi Party, the BJP on Thursday stormed back to power in Uttar Pradesh, and also emerged victorious in Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa, overcoming anti-incumbency in these states. The Arvind Kejriwal's AAP scripted a stellar victory in Punjab, winning a three-fourth majority pulverising its rivals.

The PM's home state of Gujarat is due for elections later this year.

Modi, who is on a two-day Gujarat visit, invoked Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel during his speech and said the Father of the Nation's dream of rural development and gram swaraj should be fulfilled as India celebrates 75 years of

Independence.