Narendra Modi to address first public rally of 2019 on Thursday

GURDASPUR: Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi will address the first public rally of 2019 at Gurdaspur to sound the bugle for Lok Sabha elections in Punjab and set the tone of the political campaign of alliance partner SAD(B) and BJP.

While talking to TOI on the eve of the rally, Punjab BJP president Shwait Malik claimed that no other prime minister has done anything for Punjab especially for the Sikhs what Modi had done so far. He gave credit of opening of Kartapur Corridor, bringing the perpetrators of anti-Sikh riots of 1984 to justice and exemption of GST from langar items to Modi government.

Malik claimed that there was immense enthusiasm among BJP workers to attend Modi’s rally on Thursday. He said a large number of groups of people from Bathinda and other far off places of Punjab would be traveling on Wednesday night so that they reach PUDA ground, venue of the rally, at Gurdaspur by Thursday early morning.

Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema who is camping at Gurdaspur to monitor the preparation of the rally said that despite inclement weather the Akali workers were in high spirit to attend and listen to Modi.

Sources informed that state presidents of both SAD(B) and BJP would have a brief discussion with Modi about alliance partners probable candidates, their election strategy to trounce Congress and minimise the damage of other political parties including Aam Aadmi Party. Out of a total of 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, SAD contest on 10 while BJP contest on 3 seats.

“This time every single Lok Sabha seat matters than last time, we will share our viewpoint for sure but eventual decisions will be taken by respective party, “ said sources.

Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangements have been put in place in border districts as well as on the international border with Pakistan to prevent any cross-border misadventure during Modi’s visit.

Notably, on May 27, 2015, and January 2, 2016, Pak based terrorists had stormed at Dinanagar police station in Gurdaspur district and Pathankot Air Force base respectively. In both the incidents, the cross-border insurgents had entered the Indian territory at around midnight and had reached their targets at break of light to strike

Sources seeking anonymity informed that Border Security Force (BSF) has sounded an alert to thwart any misadventure on the border while the police had laid naka’s at various places and have also alerted the border residents in case they find the movement of any unidentified persons.

Senior superintendent of police, Pathankot VS Soni said frisking had been intensified in cooperation with the police forces of neighbouring districts in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in Himachal Pradesh.

Senior superintendent of Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, Monika Bhutungru said that all the police stations including Dalhousie, Chowari and other police posts on borders with Punjab at Tannu Hatti had been alerted in wake of Modi’s Gurdaspur rally.

Sources informed that security of the sensitive installations including Amritsar’ Sri Guru Ram Das international airport, Pathankot airport as well as Ranjit Sagar Dam had been strengthened.