Agency :
Following up after the disappointing response to the Congress’ rally with party vice president Rahul Gandhi held in Mumbai on Sunday, the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is all set to woo the city on Monday.
Modi will address a gathering at Bhiwandi, followed by a rally at Bandra-Kurla Complex. Interstingly, while Rahul’s rally on Sunday was given the slip by NCP chief Sharad Pawar, citing the excuse that “there were no helicopters”, Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray is expected share the dais with Modi on Monday.
Thackeray, himself, will be addressing a few rallies for Shiv Sena-BJP nominees in Mumbai and surrounding areas. Modi will later be followed by BJP leader Gopinath Munde, who is expected to address at least six rallies in Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan and Bhiwandi this week.
Rahul’s rally, in contrast, saw an unenthusiastic response, with a turnout of only 70,000 people in a ground with the capacity of over 2 lakh. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, also slated to speak at the meeting, did not turn up, citing “health reasons”.
In lieu of the political motley crew in Mumbai, intelligence inputs have warned of possible aerial terror attacks, especially at Modi’s public meeting. Mumbai police have ordered BKC, Kherwadi, Vakola and Kurla police stations to ensure that no remote-controlled aerial device is used within their jurisdictions on Sunday and Monday.
