PM Narendra Modi's Mega Rally In Lucknow Today, 15 Lakh People Expected, Says BJP

Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a mega rally today in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow and is expected to follow up Saturday's farmer and poor-focused sops with some more big ticket announcements ahead of crucial assembly elections in the state.

Elections dates are expected to be announced any day and with that a model code of conduct will be in force which prohibits the announcement of sops or new schemes and policies.

On Saturday, New Year's Eve, PM Modi had in an address to the nation announced a number of schemes for farmers and the poor, small traders and senior citizens, seen as the groups hit hardest by the cash crunch that has followed his notes ban. The Prime Minister thanked people profusely for putting up with much hardship since November 8 when he announced a ban on 500 and 1,000-rupee notes, aimed at combating corruption and black money.  

Demonetisation is expected to be a key election agenda in UP, with rival parties alleging that the notes ban has punished the poor rather the corrupt. The BJP says its strong performance in by-elections and civic polls held in several states after the notes ban is evidence of the people's support for the Prime Minister.

The BJP's Uttar Pradesh unit has wagered that PM Modi's rally today will pack the massive Ramabai Ambedkar ground, named after the wife of Dalit icon Bhim Rao Ambedkar. The ground was built by Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati when she was chief minister and locals say only her rallies fill it up. The BJP says that will change today, and expects over 15 lakh people to arrive in about 10,000 buses from all over the state to attend the PM's rally.

Ms Mayawati is Dalit and draws significant support from the community, which makes up a key 21 per cent of UP's voters. PM Modi has since early last year staked claim to that vote base, aggressively wooing Dalits with schemes and policies. Last week he launched an app to make digital transactions simpler called BHIM, an acronym for Bharat Interface for Money, but also named for BR Ambedkar.  

State BJP leaders said PM Modi will today also attack UP's ruling Samajwadi Party for the tussle for control just ahead of the elections between father Mulayam Singh and son and chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, which peaked on Sunday with the party splitting.

The BJP has alleged that father and son have staged a melodramatic drama to cover up Akhilesh Yadav's performance as chief minister which the party rates as abysmal. "The SP is just enacting a daily drama, we will expose tomorrow how Akhilesh is UP's worst performing chief minister," said Keshav Prasad Maurya, who heads the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.