Early elections? BJP to kick off 2019 campaign on Friday, says Danve-Patil

The Bharatiya Janata Party will kickstart its campaign for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections with a massive show of strength on its 38th Foundation Day to be celebrated on Friday, a top party official said in Mumbai on Wednesday. Present on the occasion will be BJP National President Amit Shah, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state BJP President Raosaheb Danve-Patil and other top functionaries, who will address the party workers.

Over 300,000 workers—from booth level to Members of Parliament from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu—are expected for the mega event, said Danve-Patil. To a question whether this signals the launch of BJP's campaign for the next parliament elections, he said: "Yes... You can say that."

Shah will reach Mumbai on Thursday and meet top party core-committee leaders and on Friday evening address a rally of party workers at the Bandra Kurla Complex Grounds.

Danve-Patil said each assembly constituency has around 300-325 booths and since 2014 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the BJP has made its presence felt in all booths. "We want the booth-level workers to come here... they are the grassroots functionaries. They should see the 'viraat-swarup' (grand image) of the party," he said.

Already, around 80,000 booth heads, 26 wings and unit office-bearers, 5,000 village sarpanches, elected members of 97 big and small civic bodies, all MPs and MLAs, district and sub-district heads—who have been entrusted to bring another five-ten representatives each—have started arriving in Mumbai.

More than 50,000 buses and vehicles and 28 special trains will ferry the activists from across Maharashtra and other states, at the BKC Grounds, all being supervised by Mumbai party President Ashish Shelar. Elaborate arrangements have been made at the BKC Grounds with three massive stages, seven marquees for the events and another two marquees for the activists to stay the night.

Besides, similar celebrations shall be held in all districts and other states of India, and various people-oriented welfare programmes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi shall be showcased through digital and social media.