After announcement of elections, I have addressed 180-190 rallies: Modi (Re-issue with corrections in copy)

BJP's PM candidate says he may be able to address 1000 meets

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that since the announcement of the general election schedule, he has addressed between 180 and 190 rallies, and added that he expected this figure to cross the 1000-figure mark by the time he finishes campaigning.
 
Modi told Smita Prakash, Editor (News) Asian News International (ANI), in an exclusive interview held here, that he has already addressed over 360 rallies across the length and breath of the country, and added that this figure could cross to over 1000.
 
When pointed out by ANI that he had set himself a target of addressing 180 rallies, and asked how many rallies did he now expect to address, Modi said: “On September 13, the BJP nominated me as their prime ministerial candidate. Since I addressed a rally of ex-servicemen in Rewari, Haryana on September 15, I have addressed more than 360 rallies. After the announcement of elections, maybe 180-190. I have used new technology and 3-D technology to try to reach out to the people. If there is no technical fault, then, I might address more than 1000 3-D meets,” he added.
 
He said the holding of elections every five years is a way of educating those wanting to enter India’s Parliament, and added that it is important for leaders and workers or, activists of all political  parties, to reach out to the general public in right earnest.
 
“In a democracy, elections are a way of teaching parliamentary education.  All political parties and (their) leaders should reach out to the people. This is my aim, and that is what I am working on,” said Modi.
 
“As far as the result of the elections are concerned, I have worked as a backroom boy for all these years, and I am used to working for the party organisation - (whether it is) election preparation and or strategies, and all of its the intricacies. It is only now that my role has changed and I am seen more in the public. That is why, I never see an election as an aggregation of numbers,” he added.
 
He categorically predicted that the 2014 polls would be the worst the Congress Party’s history, given its performance  of the past ten years, and was quite emphatic in stating that these elections would be the best performance of the NDA and the BJP.