Can Modi reverse anti-BJP wave in Rajasthan?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday will launch the BJP’s election campaign from Ajmer on the completion of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje’s statewide whirl ‘Rajasthan Gaurav Yatra’ on Saturday.

His visit becomes crucial as the state is witnessing employee strikes and protests against the Raje government.

According to the state BJP, Modi will be holding a series of rallies and public meetings across the state, targeting areas where the BJP is perceived to be weak. His maiden rally will start from Ajmer and will also culminate Raje's 40-day yatra.

However, the BJP is hoping to get a good response in the concluding phase of the yatra, which otherwise witnessed protests in all six phases.

Moreover, Modi's visit has become tricky for both the administration and the state BJP unit after thousands of disgruntled employees threatened to march towards the prime minister's rally on Saturday and stage a protest outside the venue. Around one lakh employees from 50 government departments are protesting for the past three weeks.

While the wave is going against the BJP in Rajasthan, the local leaders are keeping fingers crossed and have pinned all hopes on Modi. “We believe PM's visit will energise party men and workers including BJP supporters,” a senior BJP leader told DH.

Fifth visit in 10 months

This will be Modi's fifth visit over the past 10 months in poll-bound Rajasthan. In January, Modi came to launch the oil refinery project in Pachpadra, Barmer. He returned to the state for the launch of the ambitious central government plan, National Nutrition Campaign, in Jhunjhunu district on March 8.

He was in Jaipur to address the first of the beneficiary meets where more than two lakh direct beneficiaries were paraded by the government from different parts of the state. And recently the prime minister attended Parakram Parv, the anniversary celebrations of the surgical strikes, at Jodhpur Military Base on September 28.