Soon after the results were in, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Senior Editor Uday Mahurkar on his impressive victory and the changes it could trigger in Indian politics.

Q: How do you see your victory?
A. This BJP victory in Gujarat is a landmark development in Indian political history. People today want definite results. They want actual change at ground level. Just words don't work with them. Voters need confidence that you are working for their good. If you pass this test, they accept you. This victory proves we have passed this acid test.

Q: How does it augur for India as a whole?
A. The Gujarat poll result is set to bring a paradigm shift in Indian politics. It has given a message to one and all: Leave politics of division and play politics of development. Our country's political scenario has been marked by vote-bank politics. Both the voters as well as parties play around the gimmickry associated with this kind of politics which obstructs true development and, as a result, people's welfare. After our third consecutive victory in Gujarat, the voters elsewhere in the country will evaluate their own political parties and leaders in the backdrop of Gujarat's development. Our victory gives the people of India a new ray of hope.

Q: Many now believe your march to 7 Race Course Road has already begun?
A. Such debating is the work of political pundits and we should leave it to them. My responsibility is towards the voters of Gujarat and I am concentrating only on that. My focus is, how well can I fulfil the aspirations of the people who have reposed undying faith in me? At the moment, my mantra is only Gujarat, Gujarat and Gujarat.

Q: Why were you constantly targeting Sonia and Rahul during the campaign?
A. I was not targeting them but replying to their negative campaigning. In the entire Gujarat campaign, they tried to portray my Gujarat in a poor light instead of talking about what their government had done at the Centre and what it was planning to do. So, I had to bring the truth before the people. I expected Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to speak on development but instead he chose to dabble in vote-bank politics. When I went into the history of the Nehru family, I was only responding to what Rahul said about his own family.  I was forced to show them the mirror.

Q: Many believe that you shouldn't have raked up the sensitive Sir Creek issue between India an Pakistan in the poll.
A. The impression created by the Congress is that I raised the issue for political mileage on the eve of the polls is totally false. I had first raised it in the National Security Council meeting in Delhi in April when I found the Government defensive on the issue. I had to rake it up again during elections as I came to know from my sources that the UPA Government was planning to give concessions to Pakistan in the Sir Creek area in its meeting with the Pakistani delegation led by Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik on December 15. So as a Gujarati concerned about my state's and India's security, I raised the issue just two days before the meet. In fact, it is because of my public intervention that the meek Government has been prevented from giving a concession. There is more proof as to how Government was moving on the issue. When (Defence Minister) A.K. Antony came to Porbandar in August, he told reporters that the Government would reach a compromise on the Sir Creek issue. Then when (Pakistan President) Asif Zardari came, he raised the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh but he remained silent. Later, PM went to Teheran and met Zardari again when he told him that Sir Creek was "doable". This time, the Pakistani delegation had Sindhis too in it which was an indication that some concession on the issue was being thought of by the Government. In fact, I was forced to raise the issue during election time in national interest.

Q: Many still think of you as anti-Muslim.
A. My aim is all-round development of 6 crore Gujaratis  and not the development of one group or the other.  I see the poor as poor and not as Hindus and Muslims . What's wrong with that? Why should the nation be divided along Hindu and Muslim lines? Today, Gujarat is number one in the country in 20-point programme implementation. Are poor Muslims not it's beneficiaries? Through sustained efforts, my Government has brought down the rate of institutionalised deliveries from 40 to 98 per cent. The Muslim women are also the beneficiaries of this success of ours. The Gujarat result is going to sound the deathknell of vote-bank politics in the country.

Q: What is your take on the national security scenario in the country?
A. When it comes to national security, the Government in Delhi is a soft state. The Government of the day has to go beyond giving protection to citizens. The country needs a complete national security plan giving protective cover to big industrial installations, ports and even tourists.

Q: What is your plan for Gujarat now?
A. On the development front, our focus will now be on creating skilled and knowledge-based development facilities. Plus, our focus will be on creating new benchmarks of development at par with the developed countries.