Nitish Kumar had personally requested Sonia to be part of the "Swabhiman rally" at Patna's Gandhi Maidan that he wants to make bigger than any of Modi's rallies.
Determined to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at every step and in a show of strength with the JD(U) and RJD alliance, Congress president Sonia Gandhi is going to Patna to address the "Swabhiman rally" convened by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar in the state capital on Sunday.
Earlier, the Congress wanted its vice-president Rahul Gandhi to attend the rally, but Sonia informed Nitish Kumar on Friday night that she was herself coming as she was convinced to be part of the first mega show of unity of the grand alliance against the BJP-led NDA. She decided to be part of the big show in retaliation to three 'rallies for change' addressed by Modi at Muzaffarpur, Gaya and Saharsa.
Nitish Kumar had personally requested Sonia to be part of the "Swabhiman rally" at Patna's Gandhi Maidan that he wants to make bigger than any of Modi's rallies. "The rally has been planned to tell the people of Bihar how the BJP and the Prime Minister have made a mockery of the Bihar pride," said a Janata Dal(U) leader, pointing out that Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has already raised the issue in Patna on Thursday.
Modi was to also address a "Parivartan rally" in the Muslim-stronghold Bhagalpur on Sunday, but it has been re-scheduled for Tuesday. The BJP leaders here claimed the date was changed to avoid any clash with the Patna rally. An insider, however, said it will give Modi time to react to the charges that are hurled by Nitish and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad at the Patna rally.
The BJP has chosen the airport ground in Bhagalpur which is much bigger than Gandhi Maidan for Modi's rally. It will be for the first time that Modi addresses a rally this poll season in the area dominated by Muslim population.
Bhagalpur is a communally sensitive district that witnessed riots in 1989. The BJP's Muslim leaders from Bihar have been camping in the town for the last many days to mobilise attendance for Modi's rally.
Senior Congress leaders, including AICC treasurer Motilal Vora, Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad and Janata Dal(U) president Sharad Yadav are all busy making the Patna rally a big success. Sonia has held joint rallies with Lalu Prasad in the past, but she will be sharing the dais with Nitish, her new-found ally, for the first time.
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