Moily: Is Modi confident of regaining power in Gujarat?

Kolkata, July 24 (IANS) Reacting to Gujarat Chief Minister Naredra Modi's assertion that the NDA would come to power after the next Lok Sabha polls, union Minister for Corporate Affairs Veerappa Moily Tuesday asked the BJP leader whether he was confident of returning to power in his own state.

"First of all, let him say whether he is confident of coming back to power in Gujarat? Forget about NDA (National Democratic Alliance)," Moily remarked before reporters on the sidelines of a programme at the Bengal Chamber of Commerce here.

Speaking to the media in Tokyo Monday, Modi said while the Lok Sabha polls could take place earlier than scheduled, he was confident that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA "would come into power."

The assembly elections are slated to be held in Gujarat in December this year, while the Lok Sabha elections are due only in 2014.

Moily replied in the negative when asked whether the clashes at the Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant in Haryana had dented industry confidence.

"Maruti has already said that it would not shift its plant from Manesar. This means that the industry confidence is not hurt."

Passenger car major Maruti Suzuki has declared an indefinite lockout at its Manesar plant following violent clashes and arson last Wednesday that claimed the life of a senior executive and left injured nearly two dozen management and supervisory staff.

Workers are alleged to have beaten up top executives and set the factory on fire, locking up the factory gates.