After strong protests, BJP gets nod for Modi rally in Patna

The rally will be Modi's first political engagement in Nitish Kumar's home turf.

After strong protests from BJP, the Patna district administration gave permission to the party to hold a rally to be addressed by Narendra Modi in October in the entire Gandhi maidan.

"There was some confusion which has now been resolved and permission has been granted for holding BJP rally in the entire Gandhi maidan on October 27," District Magistrate N Shrawan Kumar told the news agency.

A controversy had erupted when the Patna district administration yesterday conveyed its decision to provide permission to BJP to hold rally only in half portion of the historic Gandhi Maidan in view of proposed Education Day celebration and book fair from October 20 to 30.

As soon as the letter to this effect bearing signature of an Additional District Magistrate reached BJP office, the party got infuriated saying it was done following instruction from "above" out of political rivalry.

Later, the DM intervened and granted permission to BJP to hold the rally in the entire Gandhi maidan.

The rally will be party's campaign committee chief Narendra Modi's first political engagement in Nitish Kumar's home turf.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi had slammed the ruling party saying they have resorted to "unethical politics" by denying permission to opposition to hold a rally.

He told PTI that the party had applied for permission for the venue in April when BJP and JD(U) were allies.

Blaming Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for witch hunting of BJP after split in NDA, Sushil Modi said earlier the party was denied permission to hold public meeting at Miller School to be addressed by party chief Rajnath Singh in June.

The rally venue was later shifted to a stadium in Gardanibagh.

He said BJP Legislators and workers were harassed by the state government by registering false cases against them and humiliating former ministers by asking them to vacate bungalows without making alternative arrangements for them.