Dehradun : There is no denying that the proposed rally of BJP Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi here on Dec 15 is going to be a big draw.
But what is making the BJP’s Uttarakhand rank and file wok overtime is their effort to make it the biggest ever rally held at the Parade ground in the state capital, even bigger than Vajpayee’s rally which drew record crowds some time back.
A reason for this is said to be the fact that the crowds at the Parade Ground meeting or rally are an indicator to the minds and moods of the people.
The larger the gathering, not only gives an impression that the people may have made up their minds in favour of the individual or the party, but also helps generate a sort of a ripple effect, which goes a long way as the voting day arrives.
Though there are no assembly elections in Uttarakhand and Lok Sabha polls are due some time next year, but the focus seems to be on Modi as PM, which is why no stones are being left unturned.
Political pundits here claim that what the state BJP seems to be heading for is not a full Parade Ground alone, but spill over, because of which they have planned to have four giant screens to air live Modi’s speech to the crowds on the peripheries.
State party leaders have asked the rank and file to fan out to the block level to not only facilitate the people wanting to come for the proposed rally, but also inform the rural masses in particular about the Modi factor that has merged at the national level.
Special attention is being given to the participation of women and youth in the rally, as together they make a large majority of voters in this small mountain state.
Even as the state official machinery has launched an all-out alert for the rally, taking into consideration the blasts at Modi’s Patna rally, and fears that he could be on the hit list of some fundamentalist organizations, coupled with the fact that h e could be a soft target at the rally, the BJP state leadership said that the safety at the site of the rally is the duty of the state government.
The state leadership has also decided that Modi would not only be the key speaker at the rally, but the ficus would be on him alone.
It is with this in minds that they have decided to put up two stages, one, which would ne higher would be for Modi and party president Rajnath Singh and a few other central leaders, and a one at a lower height for the party’s state leaders.
A journalist with over 40 years of experience, Jagdish Bhatt was Editor, Hill Post (Uttarakhand).
Jagdish had worked with India’s leading English dailies, which include Times of India, Indian Express, Pioneer and several other reputed publications. A highly acclaimed journalist, he was a recipient of many awards
Jagdish Bhatt, aged 72, breathed his last on 28th August 2021 at his Dehradun residence.
