If you want to watch Narendra Modi in live action in Hyderabad you will have to pay for it.
This is the exact message from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to its supporters ahead of Narendra Modi’s impending visit to Hyderabad, the first public meeting in the south, after becoming the chairman of the campaign committee of the party.
Trying to literally “cash in” on the so-called charisma of its prime ministerial candidate, the party unit has started selling Rs 5 per ticket for Modi’s public rally organized in the city on August 11 in Hyderabad through a registration process. It was originally planned on July 27, but postponed due to ensuing panchayat polls.
The local BJP leaders said they expect about 50,000 people to turn up and listen to Modi at the Lal Bahadur stadium, which will also mark the beginning of BJP’s poll campaign for the next general elections. “While the other political parties pay for the audience for the rallies, here is a case where the youth of the state buy tickets to listen to their favourite leader. Such is Modi’s charisma, and we are trying to drive the point home,” said NVSS Prabhakar, state BJP general secretary.
The entry has been restricted to the age group between 18 and 40 years and Prabhakar said the process of entries through registration has already started online.
His trip is likely to be greeted with vehement protests from Muslim parties after his recent ‘puppy’ remark comparing 2002 Gujarat riots victims to a puppy getting crushed under his car wheels.
While the detailed itinerary for Modi is yet to be finalised, the Gujarat CM, who along with his government was once compared to a modern day Nero by the Supreme Court of India after thousands of Muslims were slaughtered in 2002, is slated to address a rally at 4 pm.
As it would be a one man show, no national leaders would take part in the rally, but local leaders, including Kishan Reddy, M Venkiah Naidu and Bandaru Dattatreya would share the dais. The party unit has made it clear that only Modi will speak.
Following Hyderabad’s youth conclave, Modi is scheduled to address a farmers rally at Rajamundri in Andhra region sometime in September, following it up with another massive rally in Rayalaseema region.
Prabhakar said the dates would be finalized shortly, but he said “Bharath nirman minus Congress” would be his slogan in the Congress-ruled state.
Courtesy: TOI