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Vibrant Gujarat begins as cultural event, politics out
Indo-Asian News Service

Gandhinagar, Oct 4 (IANS) Vibrant Gujarat Navratri Mahotsav-2005 has begun more as a cultural event this time - sans political speeches as the election code of conduct is in place here for civic polls this month.

The 10-day event organised by the state government kicked off at the Helipad ground here Monday even as Governor Nawal Kishor Sharma, who was to inaugurate it, stayed away. 

Dance festivities continued for more than two hours. Troupes from Puerto Rico, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka performed before the jam-packed Helipad ground in Gandhinagar. 

Though the authorities claimed the presence of more than 500,000 people, the numbers seemed much less.

But no political leader took to the dais and Chief Minister Narendra Modi and assembly Speaker Magandas Patel also sat among the audience. Though the authorities claimed the presence of more than 500,000 people, the numbers seemed much less.

The event aims to showcase Gujarat as a tourism and investment destination, but the election code of conduct for the civic polls has posed a few hurdles for the administration. 

The state election commission has made the government remove three theme pavilions on the government's Jyoti Gram Yojana, achievements in urban development and medical tourism in the state.

The authorities also had to remove large cut-outs of Modi and Health Minister Ashok Bhatt.

Since the election code of conduct has been in place since Sep 15, the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) petitioned the state election commission to take note of Vibrant Gujarat, saying it may influence the electorate. 

The state government is organising seminars on tourism, urban development, medical tourism, heritage and the Sardar Sarovar project. The seminars are scheduled from Oct 5 and will continue for the next three days. 

This is the third year of the Vibrant Gujarat event.