PM Modi to hold more rallies in Maharashtra

Mumbai: In an indicator of Maharashtra’s importance in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold two more rallies on April 22 in Nashik and Nandurbar districts.

Bharati Pawar and Union minister of state for defence Subhash Bhamre are the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates from Dindori and Nandurbar Lok Sabha seats, respectively. Dindori is one of the three Lok Sabha seats in Nashik district.

“The Prime Minister will address the rally in Dindori first, followed by another one in Nandurbar on April 22,” a senior state BJP functionary said.

The Prime Minister kick-started his poll campaign in the state with a public rally at Wardha on April 1 and later in Gondia on April 3. He followed it up with a third public rally in Latur constituency on April 9, and will be holding yet another one at Akluj in Solapur district on April 17.

“We have planned eight rallies for Mr Modi in the state. The number may go up as more constituencies go to polls in the third and fourth phases as compared to the first two phases,” said a senior BJP leader.

As of now, two rallies each have been planned for the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha polls, to be held on April 11, 18, 23 and 29 in the state, he added.

Sources in the BJP said that four phases of the polls in the state will give enough time to top leaders to campaign vigorously in the state. However in Mumbai, which has six Lok Sabha seats, only one rally of the Prime Minister has been scheduled so far.

“Only one rally has so far been planned in the city where Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will share the stage with the Prime Minister,” the leader said.