Narendra Modi's four rallies in Haryana next week

NEW DELHI: The BJP unit in Haryana had desired for more election rallies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi but the PM has ruled that four of his rallies starting next week would be enough in the poll-bound state, exhibiting the confidence the party's top brass has in winning the state come October 24.

The four rallies of the Modi have been slotted in as many regions of the state to cover most ground, starting with Ballabhgarh (Faridabad) on October 14, Thanesar (Kurukshetra) and Dadri on October 15 and Modi's final rally in Jat-dominated Hissar on October 18. Olympic medalist Babita Phogat is the BJP candidate from Dadri.

"PM Modi began the Haryana campaign with a rally in Jat-dominated Rohtak a month ago and will end it in Hissar, another stronghold of Jats. 15-20 assembly constituencies, and as many candidates, will be covered in each of the PM's rallies and big crowds are expected. PM's rallies will begin after release of the BJP's Sankalp Patra (manifesto) this week," a senior party functionary told ET.

BJP President Amit Shah will begin his campaign from Kaithal on Wednesday and he and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh would be addressing over a dozen rallies apiece in Haryana.

The PM's campaign is expected to revolve around issues like the Manohar Lal government running a corruption-free regime with high performance in delivering central social welfare schemes, the 'tainted record' of former Chief Ministers of Haryana like Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Om Prakash Chautala, a record number of jobs given out by the BJP government in the state and the PM is expected to strongly raise the step of scrapping Article 370 in J&K.

"The people of Haryana are especially pleased with the BJP's step of scrapping Article 370 in J&K as the state of Haryana sends the maximum soldiers for the armed forces," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain, who is camping in Rohtak, said.

The party is hoping that it can attract Jat voters, a big voter constituent in the state, on the back of the scrapping of Article 370. Even Bhupinder Hooda had to back the BJPs's step of scrapping Article 370.