Waiting for Narendra Modi: bhoomi puja, online registration ahead of Bangalore rally

Bangalore: The Karnataka BJP is gearing up for a rally to be addressed by the party's star campaigner Narendra Modi in Bangalore on November 17. The party expects a massive turnout of nearly 5 lakh people, with more than 2 lakh likely to attend from India's IT hub itself.

The party has decided to charge a token Rs 10 from its workers and supporters, who can also register online for the event. This is not the first time the party is charging a voluntary contribution for Mr Modi's rally; it did so earlier in Bhopal and Hyderabad.

The Karnataka BJP began the preparations for the rally, to be held at the sprawling 100-acre Bangalore Palace Grounds, with a 'bhoomi pujan' attended by senior party leaders from the state. The stage will face east for auspicious reasons, a local party leader said.

With Mr Modi's last public rally at Patna marred by serial blasts that claimed six lives, security is being given extra attention with senior BJP leaders working closely with the state and central governments.

"What happened in Patna it was the negligence of the state government. We will take all measures after consulting security experts. It will be a historic rally in Karnataka politics," state BJP president Prahlad Joshi said.

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Mr Modi's earlier rally in Bangalore ahead of the Karnataka assembly elections in May this year had generated a huge response. But that did not translate into votes for the BJP, which had ruled the state for five years. The party came a distant third with the Congress now ruling the state.