Modi begins 72-hour "harmnony" fast

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi began his fast for communal harmony, termed as the "Sadbhavna Mission", at the Gujarat University exhibition hall on Saturday morning, in a bid to redeem his political image from the shackles of the 2002 riots.

"On my way to the venue of fast for #Sadbhavana Mission. Join the Prayer for Togetherness, in person or online," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader tweeted this morning, before beginning the three-day fast at 10 am on his 61st birthday, as he met his mother Narmada Bai for blessings.

A few kilometres away however, Modi's fast drew competition. Rival party Congress veteran and Modi´s one-time Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) colleague Shankersinh Vaghela began his fast, in protest of the Modi's fast.

Surrounded by Congress members donning Gandhi caps, Vaghela began his fast one hour before Modi's, at 9 am, at the Gandhi Ashram and sent a message for his the Chief Minister: "I wish Mr Modi happy birthday and hope he will get sadbuddhi (better sense)," media reports said.

However, the Congress' counter-show was not expected to dampen Modi's prospects to garner support, as the BJP leader exuded confidence that his mission would get the people´s blessings and lend further strength to the nation´s unity in diversity on the eve of his fast.

While the political rivals like the Congress called it a gimmick amid talks that Modi is eyeing a national role now and could be the prime ministerial candidate for the BJP in the 2014 elections, the chief minister in a fervent appeal wrote that "India´s history has been witness to the reality and Gujarat has realized that the poison of casteism and communal fanaticism do not serve anybody."

"Gujarat has risen over the distortions in society and national life to march on to the path of progress, peace, unity, harmony and brotherhood," he wrote.

Modi, who got an apparent reprieve from the Supreme Court recently in the Gujarat riots case, said that the Constitution of India is supreme for him.

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the plea to hear a case that linked Narendra Modi to the 2002 religious riots referring it to a lower court, emboldening the Gujarat Chief Minister and the BJP keen to overcome the riot taint.

Modi also got a sweeping certificated from a key US think tank group.

The report on India by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), which works exclusively for the United States Congress providing policy and legal analysis to committees and Members of both the House and Senate regardless of party affiliation, projects Modi as a strong prime ministerial candidate of India in the 2014 election.

The reports says it might be Modi versus Rahul Gandhi of Congress in the next elections.

It says "India´s best example of effective governance and impressive development is found in Gujarat, where controversial Chief Minister Narendra Modi has streamlined economic processes, removing red tape and curtailing corruption in ways that have made the state a key driver of national economic growth."

While the Gujarat chief minister remained an untouchable for most political parties for the 2002 riots even after his apparent Supreme Court reprieve, the Tamil Nadu chief minister, J Jayalalithaa, decided to send her senior party leaders to Gujarat to show solidarity with Modi´s proposed three-day fast in Ahmedabad from Saturday.