Baroda: Lashing out at political leaders, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, for "demanding ban on rathyatras", Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has said "the peaceful culmination of rathyatras on July 12 has proved that normalcy has returned to the state".

In an interview telecast on July 13 on E-TV Gujarati, Modi said 78 rathyatras taken out from various parts of the state concluded peacefully which showed that the "people here are peace-loving".

He, however, alleged that, "several vested interest groups, were engaged in rumour- mongering on the eve of rathyatra, to divide the society on the basis of caste".

Modi said "systematic attempt was being made to malign the image of the people of Gujarat ever since breaking out of violence in the state".

"The celebration of the festival is for peace and they are celebrated in a peaceful manner which was proved by these yatras in the state," he said.

"Those sitting in Delhi have no idea about Gujarat and just for sake of their vested interest they malign the people and state," Modi alleged.

To a query on likely dates of Assembly polls in Gujarat, Modi replied that it would depend on several factors, including monsoon.

However, the national executive of the party at the meeting in May 2001, has left it to him to decide the polling dates, he added. PTI