I wish to see Modi as prime minister: Lata Mangeshkar

Gujarat Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Friday found an ardent supporter in melody queen Lata Mangeshkar who said she would like to see him taking the top job.

After Modi inaugurated a new hospital complex named after her late father Deenanath Mangeshkar at a function in Pune, Lata, in a brief address, said, "Narendrabhai is like my brother. All of us want to see him become the prime minister. On the auspicious occasion of Diwali, I hope our wishes would come true."

Modi, on his part, lauded the Mangeshkar family saying they had, "With their divine voices, delighted crores of people making them stress-free with music and making their minds and bodies healthy."

Modi also said on this occasion that the country needed a comprehensive health policy to make health care affordable. "We do not need just health insurance but also health assurance," he said, adding the common man should find health care affordable.

Hailing the phase two super-specialty project of Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, Modi underlined the importance of preventive health care and development of skilled manpower in the health sector.

"With our talented doctors and technology, we can gain reputation in an era of health tourism," the Gujarat chief minister said.

 Recalling the instance of a Pakistani girl who was perated on in a Bangalore hospital some time back, he said his act built a bridge of compassion touching hearts of all Pakistanis.

"With our talent and skilled manpower, India can carve a niche for herself in the world in the global health sector," he said.

Earlier, Lata also said she was very happy with her association with Modi to whom she had sent a collection of her Gujarati songs.

"I hope he likes those songs. When it came to making a choice as to whom we should invite to inaugurate this super-specialty project of our hospital, his was the first name that came to my mind," she added.

Lata also recalled that the first phase of the hospital was inaugurated by Atal Bihari Vajpayee when he was the prime minister. Her equally famous singer-sister, Asha Bhosale, sang a Gujarati song on the occasion.

The city wore the look of a fortress the whole day as unprecedented security was deployed for Modi in view of serial blasts in Patna earlier this week.