Ghaziabad all set for PM Modi’s roadshow, BJP looks to gain big in western Uttar Pradesh

Narendra Modi’s roadshow on April 6 is scheduled to cover about 800 metres of Ambedkar Road, from Maliwara to Chaudhary Morh.

Pinning their sights on 13 Lok Sabha seats in western Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow in Ghaziabad on Saturday evening.

Ongoing preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's road show in Ghaziabad to be held on Saturday. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The BJP has fielded sitting MLA Atul Garg as their candidate from Ghaziabad and his nomination was accepted after scrutiny on Friday. Ghaziabad will go to polls on April 26, in the second phase of 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

This time, BJP has started its campaigning early in Ghaziabad and have already brought in star campaigners such as Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Union defence minister Rajnath Singh to hold meetings and rallies in Ghaziabad.

While Adityanath held a “prabuddh sammelan (intellectuals’ meet)” in Ghaziabad on March 27, Singh held a rally at Ghanta Ghar Ramlila Ground on April 3.

Modi’s roadshow on Saturday is scheduled to cover about 800 metres of Ambedkar Road, from Maliwara to Chaudhary Morh, along which is located several major markets, residential colonies, offices and commercial establishments.

According to BJP office-bearers, the roadshow will have a positive impact on 13 seats in western Uttar Pradesh.

“The roadshow by the PM will have an impact on 13 seats in western Uttar Pradesh. These include Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Meerut, and Baghpat, among others. The roadshow will enthuse party workers and motivate them to secure a thumping win for our candidates,” said Chandra Mohan, spokesperson BJP (Uttar Pradesh).

Sources in the party, however, admitted that “problems exist in seats such as Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Baghpat and Meerut owing to varying caste equations and denial of tickets to certain candidates who had good chances of winning.”

Reacting to the proposed rally by Modi, Congress office-bearers said by bringing in its top leaders so early in campaigning, the BJP is admitting that “something is amiss in the Ghaziabad seat”.

“The BJP is bringing in its top leaders in the initial stage as they have sensed that all is not well in Ghaziabad and they are apprehensive about losing that seat. So, their top leaders are coming in to set right things. If eventually they lose the seat, the candidates will be held accountable and not the leadership,” said Vinit Tyagi, district president, Congress.

“All these tactics will not affect our chances as our candidate is strong and has support of INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc partners,” Tyagi said.

The Ghaziabad seat is considered a BJP bastion, political experts said.

Rajnath Singh won the seat in 2009 while Gen VK Singh (retired) emerged winner in 2014 and 2019. He was denied a ticket this time in favour of Garg.

BJP office-bearers said Ambedkar Road is being readied for the roadshow with fresh paint on central verges, and shifting of electricity poles from the roadside.

The Ghaziabad police said a multilayered security has been put in place on Ambedkar Road for Modi’s roadshow.

The police did not reveal the figure of deployment but it is estimated that around 6,000 personnel will be deployed on duty on Saturday.

“We have deployed security persons on ground as well as on rooftops. The public will have to go through security checks before entering the roadshow route and they will given an armband to indicate that they have cleared checks. The traffic police has also announced elaborate traffic diversions and restrictions will be in place from noon till the end of the roadshow,” said Dinesh Kumar P, additional commissioner of police.

According to traffic advisory, the movement of heavy and commercial vehicles will be restricted on seven major point from 1pm on Saturday till the end of the programme.

The movement of roadways/private/city buses will be restricted on these seven points from 2pm onwards.

The movement of private two-wheeler/four-wheeler vehicles will be restricted from 3pm onwards on 14 major road stretches, officials said.

The 14 points include: Rakesh Marg to Chaudhary Morh;Lohia Nagar Tiraha to Old Bus Stand; RDC Bridge Hapur Chungi Side to Old bus stand; Sihani Gate Police Station to Old Bus Stand; Ghukna Mode to Meerut Tiraha Siddharth Vihar intersection to Meerut Tiraha; Basant Chowk to Maliwara Chowk; Ramte Ram Road to Maliwara Chowk; Ramte Ram Road to Chaudhary Mode/Ghantaghar; Gaushala to Dudhevshranath Temple; Vijaynagar Dhobi Ghat Railway Bridge to Chaudhary Morh; Meerut Tiraha U-turn to Hapur Tiraha; Nandgram Tiraha to Meerut Tiraha and Rotary Roundabout to Hindon River Metro station.