When industrialist Ratan Tata decided to shift the Nano car project from West Bengal, he got offer letters from half-a-dozen Chief Ministers and his official team started inspecting the sites offered by each of the state. While each state had its own limitations, predicaments and problems, Gujarat was like a clean slate and everything was in order, which naturally forced the Tatas to choose Gujarat as its destination for the Nano plant.

In fact, Gujarat was not in the picture at all till the last minute, even while Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh were competing to bag the coveted car project. To prove that 'the speed of the boss is the speed of the team', Gujarat Chief Minister saw to it that everything, from selecting the site to readying the documents, was in place for the Tatas, easily facilitating their decision making process. The site is a hundred percent government owned land, in a place with excellent infrastructures, with port connectivity and also nearby to the ancillary plants. The environment is business friendly, a corrupt-free administration, well-maintained law & order, cooperating public and what else an industrialist needs? By bagging the Nano project Narendra Modi has added yet another feather to his cap.

Ratan Tata was candid in saying, 'There is a bad 'M' and a good 'M' and we have made the transition'. This statement from a top and respectable industrialist will go a long way in the political career of both the 'M's, that is, Modi and Mamata. While Mamata has earned a very bad name because of the Singur fiasco, Modi's stock has improved in leaps and bounds.

The man, who gave a new meaning to 'secularism' by equating it with 'development', has indeed shown the world a 'fraction' of his secret to success. Very recently, he has exhibited his courage, conviction and determination in facing and handling the onslaught of the 'secular' brigade by winning the state election for the third consecutive term. Now, by winning the Nano car project, he has proved his merit yet again and the 5 crore Gujarathis must be feeling proud of their leader. His political adversaries are speechless and the state's opposition was left with no other choice but to welcome his brilliant initiative and move.

The plant, which will be producing 2,50,000 cars every year initially, will slowly and steadily improve its production capacity to 5,00,000 cars. It is also expected to generate 10,000 jobs and Gujarat will find itself in a unique place in the map of automobile industries. Though Ratan Tata has mentioned only two 'M's, Modi and Mamata, 'M' also stands for the Marxists and they cannot imagine that they have scored a political point over Mamata. Very soon West Bengal will understand the enormity of its loss and both the CPIM and Trinamool Congress will suffer for that. A significant statement from Ratan Tata says, 'When industrialists are particular about getting written commitments from the Chief Ministers, here is a Chief Minister, whose word alone is enough; for him 'once told is once told' and he lives up to his commitments'. This is an extraordinary statement from an extraordinary businessman on an extraordinary administrator.


As 'M' also stands for 'Merchant', Modi has proved beyond doubt that he is also a capable merchant by clinching the Nano deal within very few days. He has silenced his adversaries and critics and he has taught a few vital lessons to his peers. The man, who was wrongly and cheekily dubbed as 'Merchant of Death' has demolished that absurd perception and proved to the world that he is a 'Merchant of Development'.