TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s rally is expected to attract huge crowds as so far over 52,000 people have registered for the rally, scheduled for January 12. The registration process had started on December 29, 2013.
Efforts are also on to draw crowds from minority sections irrespective of whether they will vote for Modi as the country’s next prime minister or not. Looking at the response, BJP expects nearly 1.30 lakh people for the rally. BJP will be also hiring 2000 buses to ferry people for the rally.
The organizing committee under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar met on Monday to take stalk of Modi’s ‘Vijay Sankalp’ rally to be held near the Merces bypass. The meeting was attended by BJP Goa desk in-charge Smriti Irani, president Vinay Tendulkar, MLAs and local party workers. Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral and St Andre MLA Vishnu Wagh did not attend the meeting. While Cabral was busy in his constituency, Wagh kept himself away from the rally’s organization.
“Though Wagh was not there, BJP St Andre local office bearers attended the meeting. So far total 3000 people have registered from St Andre for the rally while the number is likely to touch 4500,” a party member said.
The party member said that 52,000 people have registered themselves online and offline for the rally with Sanqulim constituency leading with 8000 registrations. Parrikar’s constituency-Panjim has registered 2600 people. “We are also making special efforts to draw crowds from minority section as well as from tribal areas. We don’t want people to vote for Modi…we want them to come and listen to his views,” he said.
The party has embarked on a mobilization drive across the state, wherein senior leaders including the chief minister and MP Sripad Naik are making door-to-door visits inviting people for the rally. Parrikar has already visited seven to eight constituencies in north Goa so far in this regard.
Meanwhile, the private bus operators lobby would be moving High Court pleading not to allow stage carriage buses (route buses-private and KTC) for ferrying people for the rally. They should be instead allowed to continue their schedule. The bus owners have said that they have no issue in providing tourist buses for the rally.
The bus owners have already petitioned the Transport Department, who claimed that they have no powers to stop buses from plying for rallies. There are nearly 1450 private route buses.
Nilesh Cabral and Vishnu Wagh did not attend the meeting. While Cabral was busy in his constituency, Wagh kept himself away from the rally’s organization
