BJP state machinery gears up for Advani yatra

Anil Pathak / TNN / Mar 30, 2006, 20:54 IST

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The state BJP has unleashed its organisational machinery to make L K Advani's Bharat Suraksha Yatra a resounding success.

BJP state machinery gears up for Advani yatra

AHMEDABAD/RAJKOT: The state Bharatiya Janata Party has unleashed its organisational machinery to make L K Advani's Bharat Suraksha Yatra a resounding success. The yatra will kick off from Rajkot on April 6.
The BJP is keen to organise Advani's yatra on the scales of Narendra Modi's 2002 Gaurav Yatra held in the aftermath of the post-Godhra riots.
Advani, who has been representing Gandhinagar in the Lok Sabha for three consecutive terms, had chosen Gujarat to launch his first Somnath-Ayodhya yatra in 1991.
This time, the former BJP national president will highlight the Congress's policy of 'appeasing the minorities.' The state BJP will also try to cash in on the yatra by strengthening its organisation for the next Assembly elections.

In a smart stroke, senior MLAs like Bharat Pandya and Bimal Shah, who were in the rebels camp, have been made incharge of organising the Ahmedbad and Vadodara chapters. Modi has also assigned yatra duties to all his ministers.
The chief minister will be present at the flag-off at Rajkot and the entourage will pass through Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat where Advani will address public meetings on his way to Maharashtra on April 9.

Elaborate security arrangements are being made on the 819 km route which would have night halts at Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat before entering the neighbouring state from Bhilad checkpost of Valsad district.
Senior BJP general secretary Jayantilal Barot and city BJP leader Kamlesh Patel will accompany Advani from Rajkot to Bhilad along the entire Gujarat route as they are the state incharge.
State BJP general secretary Purshottam Rupala, who will also accompany Advani during the yatra, told TOI that the national leader would address roadside meetings at 36 places from Rajkot to Valsad on the four-day Gujarat leg.
Senior ministers like I K Jadeja and Ratilal Sureja and Jashumati Korat would take care of the yatra in Rajkot district, while in Ahmedabad Anandiben Patel and Amit Shah have been assigned duries.
Ashok Bhatt and Bhupendra Lakhawala in Vadodara and Narottam Patel and Mangubhai Patel in Surat district will take care of their respective areas. Advani would perform prayers at Ranchhodrai temple at Dakor on his way to Vadodara from Ahmedabad on April 7.
The yatra, however, is not without its share of critics. Suspended BJP legislator from Rajkot, Sidharth Parmar, has openly criticised Advani's yatra, but other rebels have been more restrained.

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