FILE photo: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi
BJP's prime ministerial candidate
Narendra Modi will flag off a two-kilometre "Run for Unity" in Vadodara in Gujarat on Sunday in what is being billed as a major mobilisation event for his dream project of building a giant statue of Sardar Patel.
Dubbed the "Statue of Unity", the 182-metre statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel - India's iron man - is tipped to be the world's tallest and is coming up in the middle of the Narmada river.
The marathon, which coincides with Sardar Patel's death anniversary, will also be held over 565 locations across the country with senior BJP leaders, including LK Advani and Rajasthan Chief Minister
Vasundhara Raje Scindia, flagging them off at different locations. More than 10 lakh people across the country are expected to participate in the event.
The event will also mark the beginning of the collection of iron scrap for the massive statue which will continue till February. Ministers in Mr Modi's government have already begun touring the country as part of the iron collection drive.
The event is being viewed as the BJP's efforts to galvanise party cadres across the country, especially in states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar which will play a decisive role in who forms the next government in 2014. More importantly, it's an attempt by the party to cash in on and build on its stupendous 4-0 performance in the just-concluded assembly elections.