Modi, Rahul to step up Gujarat poll campaign on Wednesday

By Amit Cowper

Gandhinagar, Nov 28 (IANS) As the fight for Gujarat intensifies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi will descend on the poll-bound state on Wednesday, with both stepping up their campaign ahead of the first phase elections on December 9.

While Prime Minister Modi, campaigning for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), will be once again visiting the Saurashtra region and south Gujarat, Rahul Gandhi will first visit Diu and later Visavadar in Junagadh district and Amreli.

Modi will hold four public meetings. He will arrive in the morning at Morbi, and address a large public gathering at Parshuram Pottery on Bhadiyad road at around 9 a.m. He will be accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel. Later he will visit Saurastra region's Prachi area and address a public meeting at Prachi Timdi in Sutrapada Taluka road. Here Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will greet him and accompany him.

In the afternoon, Modi will visit Palitana, a famed pilgrimage centre of the Jain community in Bhavnagar. The Prime Minister will address a public gathering near Palitana Circuit House. Palitana is believed to be the most sacred pilgrimage of the Jain community, the most prosperous community in the state comprising five per cent of the population and from which the Chief Minister hails.

Modi's last public address will be at Navsari in south Gujarat in the evening opposite Tighravadi. He will be welcomed by BJP national Vice President Parshottam Rupala. After the address, he will fly back to Delhi.

Rahul Gandhi is paying a two-day visit to Gujarat and will visit Gir-Somnath, Junagarh and Amreli on the first day of his two-day trip.

This will be his sixth visit after the state assembly elections were declared and could be his last before the first phase of the elections.

The Congress Vice President will arrive on Wednesday afternoon at Diu. Just like his prior visits to the state, he will begin his day and tour by visiting a Hindu temple, this time the famous Somnath temple and have 'darshan' there.

Later, he will be welcomed by local Congress members at the district headquarters.

Gandhi then will fly off to Visavadar in Junagadh district by chopper and hold a corner meeting there.

From Visavadar, taking a chopper, the Congress leader will go to Amreli district and hold a corner meeting at Savarkundla. From Savarkundla, the Gandhi scion will travel to Amreli city by bus. He will address a public meeting in Amreli at around 7 p.m and stay overnight at Amreli Circuit House.