Second and the last day of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit was bit lighter than heavy dot first day. After getting huge response of my article on the first day sidelights, here I am presenting the second day sidelights.

-Yesterday on the first day of the summit there was an inauguration session at the beginning and seminars and signing of MOUs after that. Today on the second day of the summit, there were total 8 seminars and MOUs signing procedures and then after there was a valedictory function in the evening. 8 seminars were held at four different auditoriums before and after lunch.

-Yesterday I wrote about chaos at food counters meant for yellow-red card holders. If I believe my friends, today the situation had improved. However I didn’t take any risk and had my lunch at my home.

-According to official figures, Vibrant Gujarat Mega Exhibition was visited by over 90,000 people in last three days. The exhibition which was earlier scheduled to end at 17th of January would now remain open till 20th of this month. Duration of the exhibition is extended due to overwhelming response according to the officials. Officials estimate that two lakh more people would visit the exhibition in a week.

-Before the valedictory function, the exhibition hall was closed so that people could join the function. Many people who wanted to visit the exhibition were prevented to enter and asked to go to the valedictory function. Officials wanted to show equal presence in valedictory function matching to the grand inauguration function.

-BJP MLAs follow Modi’s dressing style very quickly. In summer when Modi wears half sleeve Khadi kurta(popularly called Modi Kurta at Khadi stores), many MLAs also wear ditto styled top. Now in winter when Modi has started wearing suit, I could spot number of MLAs following his latest adoption. Banaskantha’s MLA Shankarbhai Chaudhary, Rajkot’s MP Vallabhbhai Kathiria, Dhandhuka’s MP Ratilal Verma, Bapunagar’s MP Vallabhbhai Patel are some of the BJP netas whom I could spot wearing suits at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit.

-The valedictory function started with Japanese musical instrument Harp played by a Japanese artist. Modi is happy that Japan has partnered this state level event. He didn’t leave any chance to project this.

-In valedictory function, Gujarat’s industry secretory Sahu’s long speech was making people bit bore due to it’s length, governmentness and packed verbal information without any flavor. Modi on the stage immediately called Minister Saurabh Patel and instructed him to tell Sahu to finish his speech. Saurabh Patel did this and Sahu terminated his speech by announcing that Mr. Modi wants to say something on investment figure. Modi stood up and declared investment figures. He announced “Total 8,500 MOUs have been signed during 2009 summit, intentions of investment expressed worth Rs 12 lakh crore. This is equal to $ 240 billion. This is more than the total of last three summits which was $ 185 billion. Total employment generation would be 25 lakh.” People in the auditorium gave standing ovation to Modi. Some BJP workers in jubilant mood also shouted ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jay’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ slogans at the same time.

-Sunil Bharti Mittal in his speech said that even though opposition party’s Chief Minister is there in Gujarat, many big companies have come to the Vibrant Gujarat Summit. Mittal said he had attended many summits but had never seen such a summit. Mittal also said that he was little worried seeing too much investment flowing to Gujarat, thinking that whats left then for rest of the country? Mittal said one very interesting thing. He said that a myth that central government drives the nation has been broken by this summit. Mittal recalled his meeting with Modi in Jamnagar way back before some months where he had asked Modi a question on coalition governments at centre and India’s future and Modi had replied that he needs just 10 powerful chief ministers to drive fortune of this country. Mittal recalled that Modi had told him that powerful states would drive nation’s future and not Delhi.

-Sunil Bharti Mittal said “There should be a CEO like Mr. Modi in the state and in this country.” Listening to this, audience at the summit was jubilant. Mittal had said this in Hindi. Yugandan Deputy Prime Minister couldn’t understand why people suddenly were jubilant. He asked Modi about this and Modi replied.

-Speaking at the summit, Anil Dhirubhai Ambani said that there is one common thing between Dhirubhai Ambani and Narendra Modi and that is an ability to dream with open eyes. Ambani said that mood at the summit was different than rest of the India and the world. Anil said that it was said about Dhirubhai that if one Dhirubhai could do this much for the country, imagine if there were ten Dhirubhai, what they would had been able to do? Same thing is about Narendrabhai. If one Narendrabhai at the state level can do this much, imagine if he leads the nation, how much he can do?

-So after Sunil Mittal and Anil Ambani, Yugandan leader too said “The Chief Minister is no less than the Prime Minister.”

-Coming to the Chief Minister’s speech. Modi dedicated success of the summit to the youths of the state. Modi said there would be 33 new engineering college and 40 polytechnic college according to MOUs signed.

-Modi said that the next Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit in 2011 will be truly international, matching to the Davos summit. Imagine Srilankan businessmen fixing deal for investment in Nepal through the Vibrant Gujarat Summit. Gujarat is on autopilot mode so far as new investment is concern. Next time the summit will facilitate truly global business. India is sure to become Global Economic Superpower in year 2015. The Vibrant Gujarat Summit would lay strong foundation for that.