B K Birla joins Narendra Modi fan club

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi clearly remains the darling of Indian industry, with Basant Kumar Birla, patriarch of the Birla group and chairman of Century Textiles and Industries Ltd, on Thursday said that Modi should become the prime minister of India.

In a terse but telling statement at the inauguration of Century's new textile mill at Jagadia near Bharuch, Birla said, ''We should all hope that chief minister Narendra Modi soon becomes the PM of India.''

Birla kept seated on the dais during the entire function, and stood up just once to make this statement. But Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, who was also present, echoed his father's views, saying Modi had put Gujarat on the path to prosperity.

Modi has earlier been praised in a similar vein by Reliance ADAG chairman Anil Ambani and Bharti Airtel head Sunil Bharti Mittal, who both described Modi as prime ministerial material during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit earlier this year.

Ratan Tata, who shifted his 'Nano' plant from West Bengal to Gujarat, is another open admirer.

A visibly pleased Modi smugly responded to Birla's statement, ''Newspersons have got the message. I was wondering whether or how reports of today's event will appear in the newspapers. But this statement by B K Birla will make headlines tomorrow.''