A brief text message 'welcome' to Ratan Tata facilitated the entry of the multi-million dollar Nano project to Gujarat, claimed Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.

"I just sent Tata a one rupee text message 'swagatam' (welcome) within five minutes of his announcement of exit from West Bengal," Modi said at a felicitation ceremony for him organised by the Delhi Gujarati Samaj.

"State government officials worked continuously for the next three days ironing out problems in bringing Nano project to Gujarat," he said.

Modi claimed that when he heard that several countries had offered to host the Nano project, he himself asked Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata to do everything possible to roll out the world's cheapest car from West Bengal.

"I did not want the prestigious project to go out of the country," he said.

"I made no offer to him till he announced the exit of the Nano project from West Bengal," Modi said. 

"While leaders of other states were writing letters to Tata, my one rupee text message did the trick," the chief minister said.

Modi claimed an 85-year-old Congress leader called him to congratulate for getting the Nano project to Gujarat. 

"I am 85 years old and have seen almost every government since Independence but never before have I seen such a big project being clinched in such a short time," Modi quoted the Congress leader as having told him.