Bengaluru: It’s the battle of the rallies in Bengaluru!. As the BJP prepares to roll out the red carpet for its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, scheduled to address a mammoth meet on Sunday, leaders of the state unit of Congress have chosen the birth anniversary of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to organize a counter rally.
Congress sources said about 20,000 people were expected at the ‘Freedom Park’ here on Tuesday to mark Mrs Gandhi’s birth anniversary, which incidentally will be dwarfed by the 3.5 lakhs, expected at Modi’s Palace Grounds rally on Sunday.
The Congress wants to give a “fitting reply to Mr Modi” rather than organize an event at the party office located on Queen's Road, as is customary. Sources said the party came up with the idea of celebrating Mrs Indira Gandhi’s birth anniversary outside the party office on a large scale in order to counter the BJP’s propaganda and in particular Mr Modi’s rally.
“Addressing a press conference may not have any impact. A rally is better,” the sources added, unfazed that the sheer numbers at the Modi rally would diminish their efforts. Vice president of the state unit and former chairman of the Legislative Council B.L. Shankar, insisted it was not unusual. “Every year, we organise events to mark the late Mrs Gandhi’s birth anniversary in different Assembly segments. This year, food and civil supplies minister Dinesh Gundu Rao came forward to organise this event in his constituency. Naturally, we agreed.”
Congress: We have a rally to counter Modi
Leaders of the state unit of Congress have chosen the birth anniversary of the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to organize a rally as a counter against the mammoth one scheduled to be addressed by the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi at Palace Grounds in the city on Sunday.
Sources in the party said about 20,000 people would gather at the 'Freedom Park' here on Tuesday to mark Mrs Gandhi's birth anniversary. It is aimed at giving a "fitting reply to Mr Modi" by the leaders who have chosen to address the rally rather than organize an event at the party office located on Queen's Road.
Vice president of the state unit and former chairman of the Legislative Council B.L. Shankar, however, maintained that it would not be used as an opportunity to criticize Mr. Modi. "Every year, we organise events to mark the late Mrs Gandhi's birth anniversary in different Assembly segments. This year, food and civil supplies minister Dinesh Gundu Rao came forward to organise this event in his constituency. Since he is the district unit president too, we agreed to his request.
Naturally, we will reply to issues raised by Mr Modi. But, our focus is on the UPA's performance and Mrs Indira Gandhi's contribution to the country," he added.
But the sources said the party came up with the idea of celebrating Mrs Indira Gandhi's birth anniversary outside the party office on a large scale in order to counter the BJP's propaganda and in particular Modi's rally.
"Addressing a press conference may not have any impact. So, we planned to organise this rally," the sources added.
Meanwhile, sources said that just like Mr Modi's rally on Sunday, the Congress' event too could throw the traffic out of gear on a working day like Tuesday.
