Narendra Modi to hold two rallies in Mumbai

A key BJP leader said that the concluding rally will be held in Shivaji Park in the evening on May 17 as the poll campaign will end at 5 pm on May 18

Mumbai: With the poll dates advancing, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is planning to hold two rallies in the city which is to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a roadshow on May 15 and 17.

PM Modi is also likely to have a meeting in Kalyan West for the Bhiwandi constituency where BJP’s Kapil Patil is contesting and for Dr Shrikant Shinde from Kalyan parliamentary constituency. (ANI)

A key BJP leader said that the concluding rally will be held in Shivaji Park in the evening on May 17 as the poll campaign will end at 5 pm on May 18. “We want a second rally in the Western suburbs and are looking for a good place, probably on May 15. We also want to do a small roadshow of the PM in Mumbai. Some of the candidates have been declared late. Besides, Shiv Sena (UBT) is playing the Marathi card and trying to wedge a Marathi-Gujarati divide. A roadshow in Mumbai will try to get us some more votes,”’ said the BJP leader

But a top police officer said that a roadshow can throw traffic in Mumbai out of gear.

At present, Shivaji Park is in high demand. The Eknath Shinde-led group has staked a claim for the ground on May 13. The NCP and BJP are also eyeing it.

On May 17, the MNS and Shiv Sena UBT asked for Shivaji Park. The BMC’s G north ward has sent the entire proposal to the state urban development department of the state government to take a final call to whom the ground can be given.

PM Modi is also likely to have a meeting in Kalyan West for the Bhiwandi constituency where BJP’s Kapil Patil is contesting and for Dr Shrikant Shinde from Kalyan parliamentary constituency.