Unfazed by the recent controversies, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi [Images] described the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre as the "real merchant of death".
Modi was speaking in Rajpipla at his last election speech in the first phase of polls. The Gujarat chief minister said that the real merchant of death is the Central Government as it had been protecting Afzal Guru, the key attacker in the Parliament attack case.
He also stressed that he was not afraid to "speak out the truth in open".
Seeking another term to carry out the ongoing development works in the state and ensure a peaceful Gujarat, Modi provoked the crowd to respond to his questions repeatedly thrown at them. The crowd, on its part, readily responded and cheered him on.
Modi also promised distribution of land of tribals if he was voted again. He alleged that the UPA government had prevented the state from distributing land to tribals.
However, Modi cleverly avoided passing any comment on Sohrabuddin, which has put him under the Election Commission scanner.