Modi to address series of rallies in poll-bound states
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- Category: Haryana News
- Last Updated: Thursday, 22 January 2015 21:03
Narendra Modi to address series of rallies in poll-bound states
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will yet again be the focus of the BJP's campaign in the poll-bound states of Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir. Modi will attend about 10-12 rallies in the run up to the assembly polls in the four states, sources in the BJP said.
"The Lok Sabha campaign was unprecedented in terms of outreach and innovation. It changed the way India looks at poll campaigns. Even leaders of other parties were left wondering that how Modi managed to get his message of development and good governance reach throughout the councountry. Similar campaigns will be held as the people want to listen to the Prime Minister," a BJP leader said.
Sources said that the BJP does not want the results of the recent state by-polls affect the assembly polls in the four states. Incidentally, the results of the August 21 by-elections in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Punjab were not particularly heartening for the saffron party. Of the 18 seats in the four states, the Congress and its allies won 10 while eight went to the BJP's camp.
Several BJP heavyweights, including Modi, will now take part in the poll campaign in a big way for the assembly elections, the sources said. Modi has already visited Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand to attend public functions, including launch of several large-scale projects. The assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra are likely to be held before Diwali in October, while Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir may go to polls in December. In all these four states, the BJP is handicapped due to the lack of popular party faces.
A BJP insider said that while reaching out to people, the party will ask for votes to strengthen the Centre so that development could reach their states as well. BJP national president Amit Shah has already directed the Parliamentarians to showcase the administrative steps initiated by the Modi government.
During the BJP's National Council meeting in New Delhi, the Parliamentarians were provided with a booklet having facts and figures about the government's achievements. The saffron party is leaving no stone unturned for victory in the state polls. Soon after taking over as the party chief, Shah had held several stock-taking meetings with central coordinators and the BJP leaders from Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir.
In Maharashtra, the BJP and the Shiv Sena are yet to decide on their seat sharing formula for the election to the 288-member state Assembly. Buoyed by its showing in the general elections, the BJP is reportedly asking for more seats from the Sena this time from the previous 119 seats in 2009.
Shah is scheduled to visit Mumbai on September 4. The BJP and the Kuldeep Bishnoi-led Haryana Janhit Congress, meanwhile, have parted ways in Haryana. Politically, Maharashtra and Haryana are more significant as the BJP is out of power for over 10 years in the two states. The saffron party had done well in these two states in the general elections.