Addressing the Gujarat Valmiki Samaj meeting here on Monday, Keshubhai said Modi had promised to convert south Gujarat into Brazil, Morbi in Rajkot district into Paris and Ahmedabad into Hong Kong. But all his promises had so far proved to be hollow like the promises of “lapodshankhs” and “bhuvas”, he said.

“Takht badal do, taj badal do; jutthaon ka raj badal do (change the government, change the rule of bluff masters),” said the 84-year-old ex-BJP leader.

On the development in the state, the former CM said Gujarat was always either No. 1 or 2 in growth competing with the neighbouring Maharashtra even when Modi was not the chief minister.

But since Modi took over the reigns of the state, Patel claimed, the public debt had risen to Rs 1,35,000 crore, farmers started committing suicide due to financial crises, children were being abducted, the work on the construction of the Narmada canal network had not progressed, children and adivasi women were suffering from malnutrition, the number of unemployed persons had gone to 9.5 lakh as of now.

Alleging that “misgovernance” and poverty had increased in Modi’s rule, he said officials hardly worked for 100 days in a year and remained busy for the rest of the time arranging for festivals and fares to promote Modi’s image.