Modi gets Ramdev's support on dream of serving people

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi found support in seers as yoga guru Ramdev on Friday backed and rooted for him in Haridwar. Modi, who inaugurated Ramdev's new school, Acharya Kulam, said that India has been built by saints and religious leaders, and not by any politician.

"I want to announce from this stage that not a single religious leader has ever asked for anything from me. Today I am happy that in Haridwar I have received the honour to meet saints," declared Modi.

Supporting Ramdev, Modi stated that Ramdev has only one life and one mission. "These saints have an important role in building our nation. In the past people used to say these saints do nothing. Today when these saint are doing so much, the same people complaint and ask why they are involved in other activities," said the BJP leader.

Saying that there are no ill motives behind Ramdev's actions, Modi added that Ramdev and he are twin brothers. "We are targeted in the same manner. I am not asking anything but the country is seeking an answer from people in Delhi," said Modi.

The BJP leader, who is the frontrunner for the prime ministerial candidate within the BJP, said that he has no other dream or ambition in life. " The only dream I have is to serve the people," Modi declared to a roaring applause from seers in Haridwar.

Earlier in the day, Ramdev gave a fillip to Modi's prime ministerial ambitions and was all praise for him and lauded him for being a great administrator. Ramdev also reiterated that crores of Indians are pinning their hopes on him.

This comes days after Ramdev had backed Modi as a prime ministerial candidate. Ramdev had described the Gujarat Chief Minister as a symbol of development and good governance and asked people to support him. "Modi is a symbol of development and good governance and people have a lot of expectations from him. He is a good leader and the people should support such a leader," Ramdev had said.

Ramdev, who earlier had urged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to change its priorities and project Modi as its leader in the next Lok Sabha elections, had said he would not take the political plunge, but would continue working to bring political change in the country.