With Malkajgiri road show, Prime Minister Modi kicks off election campaign in Telangana
The Hindu
Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicks off Lok Sabha election campaign in Malkajgiri, Telangana amidst saffron fervor and grand reception.
The country’s biggest parliament constituency of Malkajgiri was awash with saffron flags and festoons and gained national limelight when Prime Minister Narendra conducted the ‘Vijay Sankalp’ Road for almost an hour atop a flower bedecked vehicle kicking off the election campaign for the Lok Sabha polls in Telangana on Friday evening.
Mr. Modi, sporting a saffron cap, received a grand reception for the show, which started almost an hour late. He was flanked by Telangana BJP president and Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy and party candidate Eatala Rajender when he began to acknowledge people’s greetings, waving to them with a smile.
The entire 1.5 km route was barricaded by the security personnel allowing only his cavalcade to move as people and partymen stood on the footpaths, on terraces, balconies, holding placards, filming on mobiles, shouting slogans in his name “Modi... Modi”... “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”...”Jai Sri Ram” and showering petals.
The tour started at Mirjalguda crossroads and proceeded up to Malkajgiri crossroads in the constituency as various police teams, including uniformed and plainclothes personnel, kept a tight vigil. The constituency on the capital region suburbs is easily the biggest across the country in terms of voters and area.
It has gained traction as it was earlier represented by now Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy who had won withstanding the then BRS/BJP wave in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, even after losing his Assembly seat in 2018 Assembly elections a few months ago.
After much speculation and wrangling, BJP party chose Mr. Rajender much to the consternation of the aspirants including a few loyalist veterans. The former minister in BRS cabinet, incidentally lost at both places from where he had contested in the Assembly elections held in December. Yet, he managed to convince the Central leadership that he was the right candidate for this prestigious constituency.
The Prime Minister later went by road to the Raj Bhavan where he will stay for the night. He is scheduled to address a public meeting at Nagarkurnool on Saturday morning.
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