Narendra Modi's Kanpur rally advanced to October 19 to avoid clash with festivals

BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's rally in Kanpur, has been advanced to October 19 due to his busy schedule, Kanpur unit of the party said on Monday.

The rally was earlier shifted to October 20 from October 15, as the date was clashing with two religious festivals.

The party has still not been able to arrange a venue for the rally, in which three lakh people are expected to participate, with Railways denying permission to use a field in Nirala Nagar, BJP Kanpur President Surendra Maithani said.

Railway authorities have denied permission saying the railway ground cannot be used for any political rally, Maithani said.

Chief of state unit of BJP Laxmikant Bajpai has constituted a 51-member committee for the rally preparations, he said. Party general secretary Amit Shah will visit Kanpur on October 3 to review the preparations for the rally and meet party workers, he said.

According to Maithani, BJP will win all six seats in Kanpur if Modi starts his election campaign from here, as people will come from distant areas to listen to him speak.

Congress MP and Coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal has won Lok Sabha elections from Kanpur for last three times and is expected to win this time also.

BJP has not yet announced its Lok Sabha candidate from Kanpur. SP has announced stand-up comedian Raju Srivastava as its candidate, while BSP has nominated youth leader Salim Ahmed to contest the polls.