Sunday will be a busy day for Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he will hold a mega rally in Bihar to blow the bugle for the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections. PM Modi will address the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) Sankalp rally along with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan at the historic Gandhi Maidan in Patna.
This will be PM Modi's second visit to the state within a fortnight, the first being on February 17 in Barauni in Bihar, from where he inaugurated and launched several projects, including the Patna Metro Rail Project.
PM Modi will share the dais with Bihar CM at today's Sankalp rally for the first time since 2009. Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi has predicted that around five lakh people will be in attendance. Billboards, posters and hoardings with pictures of NDA leaders have come up in various parts of the state capital, inviting people to the event.
The rally comes days after the Indian Air Force (IAF) air strikes at Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camps in Pakistani soil and the release of IAF braveheart Wing Commander Abhinandan on Friday, March 1. "We welcome his return and want to thank and congratulate the PM over the manner in which he raised the matter at world forum. The world has united against terrorism," said BJP General Secretary of Bihar Bhupendra Yadav.
The Centre is steadily moving ahead with its mantra of Sabka sath, sabka vikas, Yadav said claimed there is a growing feeling among people to give another chance to PM Modi in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Workers and leaders of all the three NDA constituents --BJP, JD(U) and LJP -- have been working hard to make this rally a grand success, Yadav said.
Until two years ago, Nitish Kumar was a staunch critic of the PM Modi, so the entire country is waiting to hear what he will say in his support at the rally. PM Modi is holding this rally exactly a month after the Congress held the first-of-its-kind 'Jan Akanksha' Rally at the same venue.
In January this year, BJP Bihar president Nityanand Rai said PM Modi will present his government's five years report card during the NDA rally in Patna. "NDA ki rally mein pradhan mantri saboot ke saath apne sarkar ka hisab denge aur Congress se 55 saalon ka hisab lenge [PM Modi will present his government's report card with proofs and will also demand the Congress to show the report card of its 55-year government," Nityanand Rai said.
According to BJP and JD(U) leaders, the gigantic event will serve as a befitting reply to RJD-led opposition parties.
Next, PM Modi will rush North to take the fight to Congress stronghold Amethi to address a public meeting and lay the foundation stone of an ordnance factory unit in Amethi.
SECURITY BEEFED UP
Security has been beefed up ahead of PM Modi's Sankalp rally on Sunday, March 3. Top officers of Bihar Police along with officials of advance security liaison (ASL) of Special Protection Group (SPG) - an elite commando force - Intelligence Bureau and other security agencies have been working for full-proof security in and around rally venue Gandhi Maidan.
Also, security has been tightened across Patna, including at airports and railway stations. Gandhi Maidan has been completely sealed for the public. Security personnel have been deployed on high rise buildings around the venue, PatnSenioror Superintendent of Police Garima Malik told news agency IANS.
Every move near the venue is under high tech surveillance. Bihar will be on full alert during PM Modi's rally. During the rally, 4,000 policemen along with hundreds of officials from various intelligence agencies will be deployed.
"NDA leaders, workers and supporters will come in 30 trains for the rally," Janata Dal-United (JD-U) General Secretary and party's Rajya Sabha member R.C.P. Singh said. Senior BJP leader and Bihar Cabinet Minister Nand Kishore Yadav said more than 5,000 buses will come to Patna for the rally, besides hundreds of vehicles.
Leaders of the BJP and its allies JD-U and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) have been busy touring different parts of the state to mobilise support for the rally. The rally will be the first joint rally of PM Narendra Modi and JD-U chief Nitish Kumar and their first big show after Nitish Kumar joined hands with the BJP in July 2017.
