THE REAL TRUTH:
"What does the data indicate? Check it out for yourself.
Annual growth under Modi (2002-3 to 2010-11) average 16.25% per annum
Annual growth under Keshubhai Patel (1998-99 to 2002-3) average 7.5% p.a
Annual growth under Chimanbhai Patel (1990-91 to 1993-94) average 16.75% p.a
Annual growth under previous Congress CMs (1980-81 to 1989-90) average 14.8% p.a
So quite clearly, Gujarat under Modi has done well. In fact, Gujarat has done better than all of India put together (14% during the period of Modis rule in Gujarat). Nothing surprising in both these facts really. Gujarat is a prosperous state. And Indias average is pulled down by many of the lower performing states across the country.
But just compare Modis results with the results in the state since 1980-81 and the truth becomes apparent. Gujarat has always been performing well (except for the period when Keshubhai was ruling). The high growth rate of Gujarat has nothing to do with Modi. Modi has merely continued the work of previous Congress CMs. In fact, a CM who doesnt deliver economic growth in Gujarat will be booted out as Keshubhai learnt.
So that the data can be compared effectively, lets look at growth from other states as well.
Maharashtra during the same period as Modi 15.5% per annum
Haryana last five years under Congress 18% per annum
AP Since 2004-5 under Congress 16% per annum
Again, the data proves that Modis performance is hardly exceptional. There are many other states that have done well. I have pointed out the Congress states above since most political tussles on Gujarat happen between the BJP and the Congress. Gujarat is one state that the BJP can be truly proud of how can it allow the Congress to puncture its story in this state?!
Other commentators have also written the real truth about Gujarat. Sample this from Dipankar Gupta on 6th October, 2011 in TOI, a few days after Bapus birthday
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Telling the Whole story is an amazingly well written piece on how the Congress has led Narendra Modi get away with claiming all the credit for Gujarats progress. The article brings out several stats to prove what I have also written earlier. Some nuggets: 1) In 1991, a full 10 years before Modi arrived, as many as 17,940 out of 18,028 villages were already electrified 2) 87.5% of Gujarats road were already asphalted before Modi. 3) By 2000-01, Gujarats share in Indias manufacturing had already risen to 28.7%. 4) Since 1980, Gujarat has been Indias poster state. Modi has nothing to do with the worlds largest ship-breaking yard coming up in Bhavnagar, nor with the setting up of the Ambani refinery in Jamnagar. 5) Well before Modi, Gujarat accounted for 45% of Indias petroleum products 6) Since the 1990s, Gujarat produces as much as 26% of the countrys pharmaceuticals 7) Because of the CM Chimanbhai Patels intervention in 1993, port traffic in the state jumped from a mere 3.18 million tonnes tonnes in1981 to 86.1 million tonnes in 2001. During the 1990s, Gujarat successfully augmented 35% of its power generation capacity. 9) If Gujarats agriculture is prospering today, it is because the state has begun to receive Sardar Sarovar waters from 2002. Modi had little to do with the inauguration of this project, but he was at the right place at the right time to take the credit for it. If there was ever a person who reaped what somebody else had sown, then that is Modi. 10) It is not as if Gujarat is the richest state either; Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra and Kerala are all much better off
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Here is the truth about agricultural growth in Gujarat another point that Modi never fails to make: Gujarats agricultural output is so small that even a high growth rate in agriculture means little. Even today, after the tripling of production, overall foodgrains production in Gujarat is just 7.8 million tonnes. Compare this with UP (47 million tonnes), Punjab (27 million), Rajasthan (19 million), Haryana (16 million), Andhra (16 million), Maharashtra (15 million), Madhya Pradesh (15 million), West Bengal (14 million), Karnataka (13 million) and even lowly Bihar (10 million), and Gujarats growth number starts looking pale. Gujarats foodgrains production is just about comparable with Orissas and Chhatisgarh a number that must surely irk Modi supporters."
...and even if u wud like to argue that this data is wrong and biased...if u all gujjus want to elect the 2nd hitler of the world as ur CM..go ahead. ur making history.