BJP to start LS campaign in M'rashtra from March 6

The BJP will kickstart Maharashtra campaign for the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections with a massive show of strength in Mumbai on Friday, the 38th foundation day of the saffron party.

BJP President Amit Shah, Shipping and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis are among those who would guide the party workers coming from the nook and corner of the state.

More than 3 lakh BJP workers from every booth-level would converge here, travelling by 28 special trains and 50,000-odd buses and private vehicles for the event.

Asked whether this is the launch of party's campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, Maharashtra BJP President Raosaheb Danve-Patil said, "Yes, you can say so."

Shah will arrive here on Thursday evening, after which he will preside over the meeting of the core committee of the party.

On Friday afternoon, he will address the rally at the MMRDA Grounds at the Bandra-Kurla Complex here and in the evening he will attend a meeting of the BJP MPs, MLAs and MLCs from Maharashtra at the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).

Danve-Patil said that every assembly constituency has 300 to 325 booths and since the 2014 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Legislative Assembly polls, the party has made its presence in all booths.

"We would have the booth-level workers coming here...they are the people on the ground...when they come here they would see 'viraat-swarup' (grand) of the party," said Danve-Patil, who was accompanied by Mumbai BJP President Ashish Shelar, who is overseeing all the arrangements.

Most of the BJP ministers from Maharashtra will be present at the grand meeting.

Asked whether they had invited Shiv Sena leaders for the meeting Danve-Patil said, "It is an event of the BJP and no other party has been invited."

Asked about the status of Narayan Rane vis-a-vis BJP and whether he has been invited, he said, "He is from a different party (Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksha) but he is a part of NDA."