Eyeing 2019 Lok Sabha and assembly polls in Haryana, state’s three major political parties—the ruling BJP, principal opposition Indian National Lok Dal and Congress—are all set to hold a show of strength.
While the Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold a rally in Rohtak on October 9, INLD will be holding a rally at Gohana in Sonipat on October 7 to celebrate the birth anniversary of party’s founder and former deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Dev Lal.
The Congress, on the other has announced to launch statewide door to door Lok Sampark Abhiyan from October 9.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is visiting Haryana on October 9, to unveil the statue of late leader Sir Chhotu Ram will also address a public rally at Sampla in district Rohtak, known as a stronghold of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
Both BJP and INLD will be sounding the bugle for the 2019 Lok Sabha election with their respective rallies scheduled in the coming days in the Jat heartland comprising the districts of Rohtak and Sonipat.
Political observers feel that the public rally to be addressed by PM Modi is aimed at setting the tone for the party's campaign for the general election.
With Modi unveiling the statue of peasant leader late Sir Chhotu Ram at Rohtak, it will also send a strong political message, they say.
By unveiling the statue of Jat legend, the BJP also hopes to woo the Jat community, and appease Sir Chhotu Ram’s grandson and Union Minister Birender Singh.
The Jats, which constitute nearly 29 percent of Haryana’s population, had provided the BJP the necessary traction to register its maiden victory in October 2014 assembly polls as well winning 7 out of 10 Lok Sabha seats earlier that year.
Modi’s Rohtak rally is expected to be attended by farmers and Jats from across the state. At the rally, the PM is expected to talk about his government’s pro-farmer initiatives and also likely to make few announcements for the state.
On the same day, Modi will also lay the foundation stone of Rail Coach Factory to be set up in village Barhi in district Sonipat.
Gearing up for the mega rally, the State Government on Friday deputed 18 HCS officers for various duties at the event. The officers have been asked to report to Deputy Commissioner, Rohtak on October 7.
On the other hand, INLD’s October 7 rally at Gohana also assumes
significance with party’s chief and former Chief Minister OP Chautala, who is out on parole, expected to address it.
The INLD has been celebrating September 25 as “Samman Diwas” every year to pay tribute to former deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal.
The party had earlier said that BSP supremo Mayawati and leaders from SAD, JDU, RJD and other regional parties will address the rally.
Eyeing political revival after being out of power since 2005, the INLD had in April announced to join hands with the BSP for 2019 crucial polls. The INLD had announced to contest Lok Sabha polls and assembly polls in Haryana in alliance with the BSP.
Currently, INLD chief OP Chautala along with his son Ajay Chautala are serving 10-year jail sentence after being convicted, in teacher recruitment scam in Haryana.
While BJP and INLD are gearing up for mega rallies, the Congress has announced door to door ‘Lok Sampark Abhiyan’ in Haryana from October 9.
Ashok Tanwar, former MP and Haryana Congress chief on Friday said that keeping in mind the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, this Abhiyan alongwith fund collection will continue till November 19, birth anniversary of former Prime Minister lateIndira Gandhi.
This abhiyan will further strengthen the Congress Party on the ground level, he said.
The representatives of the party will be assigned duties at district and block level to maintain tempo of the Abhiyan. Booth sahayogis will be supplied four pamphlets each depicting the failures of Union Government, highlighting the Congress ideology, describing local issues and state level issues and the alternate the Congress Party will provide, Tanwar said.
The party workers will also go door to door for collecting funds for the Congress as well. They will also collect data and local information regarding opinion makers and influential people who can be helpful to the Congress party, he added.
Aam Aadmi Party, which has announced to contest Lok Sabha and assembly polls in Haryana, is also scheduled to hold a rally to be addressed by party’s convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the month of October.
Kejriwal was earlier scheduled to address ‘Pension Adhikar’ rally of the state employees on October 7 in Karnal but the rally has been cancelled now and is likely to be held later in the month.