PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi to hold first campaign rallies in Delhi today; security beefed up
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address his first public meeting for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in North East Delhi on Saturday evening, the same day that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will campaign at the Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency in what will be his first poll rally in the city a week before all the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi go to the polls on May 25.
Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Virendra Sachdeva, party candidate from North East Delhi Manoj Tiwari and other leaders visited the PM’s rally site on Friday evening to take stock of the preparations. “PM Modi’s rally will be historic, and the enthusiasm of the workers will be visible to the public. A large number of people are expected to attend the rally,” said Sachdeva.
“The PM is coming to guide us in North East Delhi, and it is a matter of pride for our region that Narendra Modi, who is a global leader, is coming to guide us. People of the region are very excited to see their popular PM, and everyone wants to see and hear him up close, so the rally will be historic, for which the Delhi BJP has made elaborate arrangements,” said Tiwari.
“The PM is going to address a rally for the first time in Ghonda assembly constituency on Saturday at 4pm at DDA ground, Yamuna Khadar. He will seek the blessings of the people for Manoj Tiwari, the candidate from the North East Delhi constituency for the third time,” said Ghonda MLA Ajay Mahawar.
Meanwhile, Delhi Congress leader Anil Bharadwaj said: “Rahul Gandhi will address a massive public meeting for the Congress candidates of INDIA bloc at the Ramlila Ground, near the sports complex, Ashok Vihar, at 6pm on Saturday.”
An at least four-layer security cordon comprising of special protection group (SPG), security wing of the Delhi Police, and the local police will be in place when the Prime Minister addresses the rally at the DDA ground, two police officers aware of the security arrangements said.
More than 2,000 security and traffic personnel will be deployed in and around the venue to manage the crowd and traffic and ensure no untoward incidents happen during the PM’s rally.
“All security drill such as scanning of the venue and its surrounding areas have been done and a final inspection by sniffer dogs, bomb detection and disposal squads and other teams concerned will be conducted on Saturday, before the beginning of the rally.
The special protection group commandos will form the internal security cordon of the PM and the dedicated Delhi Police’s PM security wing officials will be positioned in the second layer of security.
The double layer outer security will be taken care of by personnel from the city police and armed paramilitary forces,” said an officer on condition of anonymity.
The second officer said that the Prime Minister will arrive at the venue in a chopper, directly after attending an election rally in Sonepat in Haryana.
Delhi Police chief Sanjay Arora on Friday held a meeting with senior officers and took stock of the security arrangements, the officers added.