Ahmedabad: With questions raised over his "silence" on Gujarat, local newspapers came out with an advertisement in which former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee sought votes for the return of the Narendra Modi in the elections.

The advertisement came just a day ahead of the close of the campaign tomorrow for the second and last phase of the elections on Dec 16, which has virtually been Modi's show for the BJP.

Vajpayee, who did not campaign in the Gujarat elections because of health reasons, tells the people that they again have an opportunity to ensure a good future for the state for five years.

"I am confident that you as in the past will choose a government which is committed towards growth and development of the state," he says in the appeal, asking people to return Modi to power.

Vajpayee says that Gujarat has made rapid strides towards development in the last few years. It has set new records in the area of development. The development has benefitted people belonging to all strata of society.

Promising that the BJP would provide a progressive and proud Gujarat, Vajpayee said the BJP Governments-be they at the Centre or in the states - had development as their target.

Vajpayee's message is signifiant as he issued a similar appeal in the case of poll-bound Himachal Pradesh which had raised questions about his "silence" in Gujarat.

The Congress had yesterday taunted the BJP saying even Vajpayee did not believe that Modi would come back to power. "I infer that Vajpayee not writing a letter to Modi means he does not support him and does not believe he will win," party spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan had remarked yesterday.

Source : PTI