BJP president to sound poll bugle in Jind

Eyeing 2019 Assembly and parliamentary polls, BJP national president Amit Shah will sound the poll bugle for Haryana in Jind on Thursday.

Aiming to return to power in the State again in 2019 polls, the BJP has geared up to make Amit Shah’s ‘Yuva Hunkar rally’ a historic event in centrally located Jind in Jatland-Haryana.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is personally overseeing the arrangements for the rally, where more than one lakh party volunteers are expected to reach on motorbikes from various parts of the State.

After reaching Jind by a helicopter, Amit Shah will also reach rally venue on a motorbike from the helipad, which has been constructed near the rally ground. Chief Minister, Cabinet Ministers, BJP MLAs and all senior party leaders will also reach the venue by motorbikes on Thursday.

The rally is being seen as an attempt by the BJP to consolidate its hold in Jind and adjoining areas and consolidating the Jat vote bank. Jind is known as the turf of Jat leader Birender Singh, who had left the Congress to join the BJP ahead of 2014 general elections.

“The rally is a part of BJP’s ‘Mission Vistaar’ and to strengthen the party at the booth level. The ‘Yuva Hunkar rally’ will attract youth and energise workers and also, gear up the cadre for next year’s polls,” Haryana BJP media in-charge Rajiv Jain said.

Jain said BJP chief Amit Shah will also inaugurate the party office at Jind on Thursday and lay the foundation stone of district offices established at 15 places. “The party has geared up for the rally and more than one lakh BJP volunteers will reach the rally on motorbikes to make it a historic event,” he added.

With the first BJP led Haryana Government completing its three years tenure in the State, Amit Shah is likely to highlight major achievements of the government on various fronts at the rally.

The BJP Government under first time MLA Manohar Lal in Haryana had completed its three years in office on October 26 last year. During its tenure, the BJP’s focus on Hindutva agenda, including cow protection, restoration of mythological Saraswati river and saffronisation of education with introduction of yoga and Gita, has overshadow its initiatives launched in the state.

The 2016 violent Jat quota stir, dera followers’ violence at Panchkula last year, violence during Baba Rampal’s arrest among other incidents also hogged the national headlines during BJP’s tenure in Haryana.

Meanwhile, tight security arrangements have been made in view of the rally. Armed jawans could be seen in different parts of Jind and some adjoining towns, including roads leading to the venue at Pandu Pindara village, on the outskirts of the Jind city.

Police and security forces have been put on alert across the state to prevent any untoward incident taking place during the rally. The security personnel will keep a vigil on the rally ground through CCTVs, drones and helicopter.  80 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed in Haryana including 30 in Jind. In view of proposed protests by opposition parties against the rally, prohibitory orders have also been imposed at few places near Jind to maintain law and order situation.

The opposition parties including Congress, Indian National Lok Dal and Aam Aadmi Party have announced to hold protest in a peaceful manner against BJP’s rally. While INLD and Congress have announced to show black flags to Amit Shah, AAP has announced presenting ‘pakodas’ to Shah over the BJP’s alleged failure to generate the promised jobs for the youth.

The All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti led by Jat leader Yashpal Malik had earlier withdrawn their proposed protest rally in Jind after talks with Khattar and Union Minister Birender Singh on Sunday night. Apart from security arrangements, the State Government has also positioned seven ALS ambulances and four fully equipped and manned (BLS) ambulances each from seven districts. 14 physicians, 14 surgeons, 42 general doctors have also been deployed from seven districts at the rally ground to ensure medical arrangements in view of huge gathering.