Modi talked of becoming Gujarat CM way back in 1969: PM's childhood friend
He recalls how Modi, while still in school, would go from one compartment to another to sell tea to passengers at Vadnagar railway station where his father had a tea stall
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi had dreamt of becoming the chief minister of Gujarat way back in 1969, more than three decades before he finally assumed the top office in 2001, said his childhood friend from Vadnagar in Gujarat's Mehsana district, Dashrathbhai Patel.
Referring to the PM's humble beginnings, Patel recalled how Modi, while still in school, would go from one compartment to another to sell tea to passengers at Vadnagar railway station where his father had a tea stall.
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"Modi and I studied together, right from primary school till a college in Visnagar (in Mehsana district). We used to attend RSS 'shakhas' (gathering of swayamsevaks) together. Modi and his circle of friends once visited my farm and we all enjoyed 'undhiyu', a delicacy from Surat. We also took part in school plays," he recollected on the eve of the PM's 75th birthday.
"In 1969, Modi and I were walking past a small and dilapidated memorial of twin sisters and singers, Tana and Riri in Vadnagar (PM's hometown). At that time, Modi told me he would restore the memorial after becoming the chief minister. He kept that dream alive for years. When he finally became CM, he kept his promise and ordered the memorial's restoration," noted Patel.
Patel said his father used to run a shop at Vadnagar station where Modi's father had a tea stall.
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"Only two trains used to arrive at the station, one in the morning and another in the evening. This was when we were in school. Holding a kettle in his hand, Modi would go from one compartment to another to sell tea to train passengers," said Patel.
Patel remembered how Modi once captured a baby crocodile from Sharmishtha lake in Vadnagar and brought it home, but later released the reptile back in the water body at the instance of his mother Hiraba.
The BJP stalwart served as the Gujarat CM from 2001 to 2014 and led his party to victory in multiple assembly polls. In May 2014, Modi was sworn in as the prime minister and he is currently serving his third term.
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