The US on Thursday appeared to reach out to BJP?s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi with its ambassador to India, Nancy Powell, praising the Gujarat CM for his ?model of development?.
While the US government dismissed any political overtones to the visit, Powell?s liberal praise of Modi was in stark contrast to its nine-year stand of boycotting the Gujarat chief minister for his purported role in the 2002 riots. Modi greeted Powell with a bouquet of red and yellow roses and she, in turn, appeared to endorse his ?good governance? plank.
In an official communique, the US said ?the meeting was part of the US Mission’s outreach to senior leaders of India?s major political parties in advance of the upcoming national elections?. It, however, acknowledged the probability of Modi becoming the PM by adding that the US was keen on working closely with the government that the ?Indian people choose? in the upcoming elections.
This was the first such meeting since March 2005 when the US denied Modi a visa under a domestic law over ?serious violations of religious freedom?. However, the visa ban issue didn?t come up at the meeting, which lasted 45 minutes.
A statement released by the Gujarat state information department said Powell was ?nostalgic about her previous visit to Gujarat and was happy to see the development in various sectors of the state?.
It added that she ?praised the speedy decision-making and administrative process of the Gujarat government, which pleases the American industries?.
