Farmers plan protests at Modi’s rally: Intel

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, April 20

The Maharashtra Government is likely to deploy central forces at Nashik where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a rally on Monday with Intelligence reports indicating that farmers may hold protests. Modi will be campaigning for Shiv Sena's sitting MP Hemant Godse from Nashik as well as BJP's Bharati Pawar from the neighbouring constituency of Dindori.

District officials said they had received inputs on possible protests by farmers at Nashik while the CPM, which has some amount of support in the region, has announced it would hold a pensioners' protest at the venue. "The ground at Pimpalgaon-Baswant where the PM will hold a rally measures 700 acres. Securing its perimeter will be a tough task," a district police official said.

The area lies at the heart of onion country where farmers have been forced to sell produce at less than Rs 2 per kg. NCP’s Sameer Bhujbal and his uncle Chhagan Bhujbal have made it a major election issue.

BJP leaders are wary of the audience leaving in the middle of Modi's speech. Local party leaders were taken to task after sections of the audience began walking out while Modi was delivering his speech at rallies in Wardha and Ahmednagar earlier this month.

Party leaders in Nashik have been asked to ensure that the crowds mobilised by them stay put till the PM concludes his speech.