Narendra Modi addressing the Confederation of All India Traders at Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi on Thursday

Narendra Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, today made a strong pitch for using technology to boost commercial activities in the country and to overcome the fear of global challenges."Traders should use technology to make it big. People even in rural areas are now looking for branded stuff. Small businessmen can do big business by setting up virtual units, and take a leap. They can improve the delivery systems and go for online marketing. They can set up virtual malls," Mr Modi told a gathering of the Confederation of All India Traders in the capital today."Our children have spread information technology all across the globe. We have to accept science and technology to improve our businesses," the BJP leader added.With traders comprising one of the backbones of the BJP's support-base, Mr Modi went all out to praise their entrepreneurship. He was candid enough to admit that his party was "pro-traders," but exhorted them not to be wary of globalization and the challenges from foreign competitors. "We don't have to fear global challenges. We can, in fact, convert this into an opportunity and out-run our global rivals. More than our soldiers, it is our traders who are known for their risk-taking capacity," Mr Modi pointed out.The Gujarat Chief Minister also rooted for enhancing the purchasing power of the common man to enable the small traders to expand their activities. "A small trader can flourish only when the purchasing power of the common man improves. For this, manufacturing activities will have to be given a push. And the government will have to take strong measures to improve manufacturing. There is, thus, a chain which is set up," Mr Modi pointed out.

He also saw the foreign ministry as a big impediment in improving trade an commercial activities, and advocated decentralization in decision making. "The fashion of running the country from Delhi should be stopped," Mr Modi argued.