Amit Shah Jind rally: BJP chief to ride pillion on Subhash Barala's bike

4,000 motorbikes and 20,000 helmets have been sold in the state leading up to the rally. The BJP is seeing it as a launchpad for the upcoming polls

BJP President Amit Shah will ride pillion on Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala's motorcycle in Thurdsay's Yuva Hunkar rally in Jind, a local daily reported. Subhash Barala is the father of Vikas Barala, who was booked on the charges of stalking and attempting to abduct a 29-year-old woman last year. 

Following are 10 interesting developments related to the rally:

1. The Jind rally is being touted to be the Bharatiya Janata Party's launchpad for the poll season ahead with Assembly elections coming up in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura Meghalaya, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, leading up to the 2019 General elections.

2. Around 150-200 motorbikes, including Bullets, have bought in every district of the Haryana, according to the Haryana Bhaskar. 4,000 motorbikes and 20,000 helmets have been sold in the state leading up to the rally. 

3. According to the claims of BJP leaders, over 100,000 bikes will participate in Amit Shah's rally. The 'Yuva Hunkar' rally will attract youth and energise workers, a BJP leader said. Interacting with the media after taking stock of preparations for the rally, Manohar Lal Khattar said the visit of Amit Shah would be "historic and one-of-its-kind in which lakhs of people would come on their motorcycles to participate".

4. The rally is also being seen as an attempt by the BJP to consolidate its hold on Jind and adjoining areas. Jind is considered to be the nerve centre of Haryana politics. State BJP leader Rajiv Jain said the rally was part of 'Mission Vistaar' or to strengthen the party at the booth level and to gear up the cadre for polls.

5. Hundreds of security personnel, including Haryana Police and para-military forces, have been stationed in Jind, over 200 km from the town, ahead of Shah's rally in view of the threat by opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) that its workers would show black flags and balloons to the BJP chief and protest against his rally. Police and security forces have been put on alert to prevent any untoward incident taking place during the rally.

Preparation underway in Jind ahead of 'Yuva Hunkar Rally' of BJP President Amit Shah . Photo: ANI

6. The All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti had earlier withdrawn their proposed protest rally in Jind tomorrow after talks with Khattar and Union Minister Birender Singh on Sunday night.

The Khattar government has reportedly agreed to most of their demands, including taking steps to give reservation in jobs to Jats and withdrawal of cases against protesters, who indulged in violence and arson during the Jat agitation in February 2016.

State Aam Aadmi Party chief Naveen Jaihind has announced presenting 'pakodas' to Shah over the BJP's alleged failure to generate the promised three lakh jobs for the youth in the last three years. The opposition Congress is also opposing the BJP's motorcycle rally.

7. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Amit Shah will ride new Bullet motorcycles for about 600 metres to the rally venue from a temporary helipad, the Indian Express reported. 4.5 lakh square foot of space and 60,000 chairs have been arranged by the state BJP for the event.  

8. Khattar is personally overseeing the arrangements along with state party president Subhash Barala and Haryana BJP party in-charge Anil Jain. On Thursday,  the CM rode a motorcycle in Jind where he reached to take stock of the arrangements for BJP chief Amit Shah's mega bike rally. 

9. About 40 BJP leaders will sit with Shah on the stage. All the bikers have been asked to assemble at the venue by 10 am on Thursday morning. CM Khattar will receive the BJP President at the helipad accompanied by BJP National General Secretary and RSS leader Ramlal.

10. The Haryana Pollution Control Board will set up fogging machines on different routes to curb pollution due to the rally. A senior official said that the authorities will take stock of pollution to up to 10 square km from the rally area for three consecutive days to take stock of pollution.