PM to speak at Meerut poll rally on Sunday, RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary to attend

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to commence his Lok Sabha election campaign in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday (March 31) with a rally in Meerut. The BJP has nominated actor Arun Govil, known for his role in the TV serial 'Ramayan', as its candidate for the constituency.

According to sources, apart from Govil, Rashtriya Lok Dal president Jayant Chaudhary, who recently joined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, will share the dais with the prime minister.

Govil became a household name after essaying the role of Lord Ram in Ramanand Sagar's 'Ramayan'.

A BJP leader said, "After the consecration of Lord Ram's idol at the temple in Ayodhya, PM Modi is starting his election campaign in the state from the constituency of Arun Govil, who played the role of Lord Ram and is highly respected." The party's state General Secretary Anoop Gupta has been given the responsibility of coordinating the prime minister's rally. A senior BJP leader said that apart from Meerut, people from nearby Baghpat, Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar and Kairana Lok Sabha constituencies will also participate in the rally on Sunday.

'Milestone'

Prime Minister Modi's Meerut rally will prove to be a milestone in western Uttar Pradesh, senior BJP leader and MLC Govind Narayan Shukla said and asserted that the party and its allies would win all 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

A BJP leader said, "This is the first rally of the 2024 elections (in Uttar Pradesh). The party workers are fortunate that the prime minister is going to start the election campaign from Meerut." According to RLD spokesperson Atir Rizvi, party chief Jayant Chaudhary will share the stage with BJP leaders at the rally.

Leaders of the BJP and RLD said that Bharat Ratna to former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, issues related to sugarcane growers and farmers as well as the development of Western Uttar Pradesh would feature in the rally.

Bharat Ratna

On Saturday, President Droupadi Murmu conferred 'Bharat Ratna', the country's highest civilian award, to Chaudhary Charan Singh posthumously. The award was received by the former prime minister's grandson Jayant Chaudhary during an event at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi.

The local administration has beefed up security measures ahead of the prime minister's Sunday rally. Flying drones, kites or balloons in an eight-km radius from the venue of the rally has been banned under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held in all seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections. Voting in Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar and Kairana Lok Sabha constituencies will be in the first phase on April 19. Meerut and Baghpat will see polling in the second phase on April 26.

(With agency inputs)