Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a crucial leg of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s Lok Sabha poll campaign today, March 18, with scheduled public rallies and a roadshow in Karnataka’s Shivamogga district and Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore, respectively.
First Stop: Karnataka’s Shivamogga District
In Shivamogga, PM Modi will address a public meeting at the Allama Prabhu ground (Freedom Park), marking his support for BJP candidates ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The district, known as the home turf of BJP stalwart Yediyurappa, holds strategic importance for the saffron party. BJP candidate BY Raghavendra, Yediyurappa’s elder son, is contesting from the Shimoga constituency, facing competition from former deputy CM K S Eshwarappa, who has declared his intention to contest as an independent candidate. The BJP aims to replicate its 2019 electoral success, where it won 25 out of 28 seats in Karnataka. Party leaders express confidence in securing victories across all 28 seats this year.
Second Stop: Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore
Continuing his campaign momentum, PM Modi will conduct a 4 km roadshow in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Despite initial denial of permission by the state government citing security risks due to the proposed route’s ‘communally sensitive’ nature, the Madras High Court intervened and granted permission for the event. BJP district president J Ramesh Kumar challenged the denial, leading to the court’s directive for necessary police protection during the roadshow. The BJP state unit welcomed the HC’s decision, anticipating a ‘historic’ event in Coimbatore on March 18.
The NDA’s campaign in the Southern region gains momentum with PM Modi’s engagements in key constituencies. The Prime Minister’s presence in Shivamogga and Coimbatore underscores the strategic significance of these areas for the BJP and its allies, as they aim to secure electoral victories and strengthen their position ahead of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections starting from April 19.
