Modi’s Malout rally today: SAD, BJP woo farmers
SIGNIFICANCE Malout as venue is being seen as wellthoughtout move due to speculation that Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal may change her constituency in 2019 LS elections
BATHINDA: The SAD-BJP alliance on Tuesday said farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan will attend the “Kisan Kalyan Rally” to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Muktsar’s Malout on Wednesday. The selection of Malout as the rally venue is being seen as a well-thought-out political move due to speculation that Union food processing industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who is MP from Bathinda, may change her constituency in the 2019 polls.
BATHINDA: The SAD-BJP alliance on Tuesday said farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan will attend the “Kisan Kalyan Rally” to be addressed by PM Narendra Modi in Muktsar’s Malout on Wednesday.
The selection of Malout as the rally venue is being seen as a wellthought-out political move due to speculation that Union food processing industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who is MP from Bathinda, may change her constituency in the 2019 polls.
Malout falls in the Ferozepur Lok Sabha constituency, right on the border with Bathinda parliamentary segment.
Harsimrat has also been frequenting areas in Ferozepur Lok Sabha seat.The rally is aimed at projecting the pro-farmer policies of the central government, which the SAD-BJP claims to have benefited the farmers.
The rally is being organised after the central government announced increase in the minimum support price (MSP) of Kharif crops. On Tuesday, the SAD and BJP leaders were busy making preparations and mobilising party cadres to make the rally a grand success.
BJP state president Shwait Malik said they aim to mobilise over 1.5 lakh people in the rally from across the state with the main focus on the Malwa region.
“It will be a farmers’ rally and we are getting encouraging response. The pro-farmer policies of central government and the anti-farmer policies of Punjab government is resulting in this response,” said Malik.
“The rally will be led by former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and PM Modi will be the chief guest,” he said, adding that the SAD and BJP are working in coordination for the event.
“PM Modi has fulfilled promises made to farmers, but the Congress government in Punjab hasn’t. This has led to resentment among farmers,” the state BJP chief said. SAD Muktsar district president and MLA Kanwarjit Singh Rosy Barkandi said that central government has done remarkable work by increasing the MSP of kharif crops and farmers in record numbers will take part in the rally.
Modi will land at air force station at Bhisiana in Bathinda from where he will reach the rally venue in a helicopter at 11am. He will be here for 45 minutes.
Member parliament from Ferozepur Sher Singh Ghubaya will also attend the rally. Ghubaya won election on the SAD ticket but his son Davinder Singh Gubaya is a Congress MLA from Fazilka.