Today in Politics: BJP, INDIA mega rallies in Mumbai; both sides step up efforts in UP

With more than half of Uttar Pradesh’s 80 Lok Sabha seats up for grabs in the last three phases, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will continue his campaign tour across the Hindi heartland state that is critical to the BJP’s prospects. On Friday, he will address three rallies in Barabanki, Fatehpur, and Hamirpur constituencies.

He will then travel to Mumbai, where he will address a rally at Shivaji Park, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, MNS chief Raj Thackeray, and Union Minister of State Ramdas Athawale. BJP is contesting three seats in the city, with Shinde’s Shiv Sena contesting the other three.

Across the city, the INDIA bloc and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will hold a mega rally at BKC. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) president Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, MPCC president Nana Patole and Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat will address the rally.

In UP, the INDIA leaders too will intensify their campaign on Friday. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav will address an election rally at Nandamhar Dham in Jamo block from 1 pm to 2.15 pm in favour of the Congress’s Kishori Lal Sharma, the INDIA candidate from Amethi Lok Sabha constituency. They will then address a joint election public meeting at ITI Ground, Rae Bareli from 2.50 pm to 4.45 pm. Gandhi is the INDIA candidate from Rae Bareli.

Meanwhile, in Pratapgarh, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati will address a rally at Kohla village near Vishwanathganj Station Mod of Pratapganj-Prayagraj Road.

On the second day of Amit Shah’stwo-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Home Minister