PM Narendra Modi to launch UP poll campaign with rally in Meerut on March 31

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the election campaign in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut on Sunday.

Prime Minister Modi will address a rally along with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) Chief Jayant Chaudhary.

This will be the first occasion when PM Modi and Chaudhary will share the stage, a decade after BJP decimated RLD in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

RLD had joined BJP-led NDA in February after PM Modi announced Bharat Ratna for former Prime Minister and Jayant's grandfather Chaudhary Charan Singh.

Jayant received the Bharat Ratna for his grandfather from President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on Saturday.

In a tweet on X, PM Modi said, "Bharat Ratna for Chaudhary Charan Singh is a recognition of his contributions to India's development, particularly in agriculture and rural development."

Meerut, according to sources, has been chosen strategically for PM Modi's rally. It is a constituency with a sizeable population of Jats and Gurjars and BJP is trying to win votes of both the communities, especially after forming an alliance with RLD.

In 2019, too, PM Modi had chosen Meerut to start his poll campaign. Jayant is learnt to have started his poll campaign by camping in a host of parliamentary seats, including Baghpat and Bijnor, from where his party will be contesting in alliance with BJP.

BJP has fielded actor Arun Govil, who played Lord Ram in TV serial Ramayan.

Campaigning for Govil last week in Meerut, Yogi Adityanath had said that Govil breathed life into Lord Ram's character and will now become the identity of Meerut.

"Govil will create history in Meerut," the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister had added.

Yogi Adityanath embarked on a whirlwind tour of 15 districts of western Uttar Pradesh in five days. His tour began from Mathura on March 27 and will conclude with an election meeting in Rampur on March 31.

Other allies of the NDA in Uttar Pradesh are also expected to be present at the rally