Today in Politics: PM Modi set to address Udhampur rally; Rahul, Stalin on the same stage in Coimbatore

The BJP top brass will continue their campaign on Friday ahead of the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Udhampur of Jammu and Kashmir, where he will address a rally around noon Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be in Madurai of Tamil Nadu.

The scheduled rally, which the PM will hold for BJP’s candidate and Union minister Jitendra Singh, has prompted authorities to activate a multi-tier security setup, including ban on flying of drones.

Singh is seeking re-election for the third consecutive time from Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur Lok Sabha seat in the first phase of the elections.

Security agencies have issued advisories and Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) for people attending the rally and for security personnel in view of the threat perception.

Meanwhile, sources said Shah will land in Madurai airport on Friday afternoon and will leave for Karaikudi to campaign for Sivaganga candidate T Dhevanathan Yadav.

He will then return to Madurai enroute which he will offer prayers at the temple in Thirumayam in Pudukkottai district. He is also scheduled to visit the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai later in the night.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will attend an INDIA bloc rally in Coimbatore on Friday.

According to a release from the DMK, the two leaders will seek support for candidates for the Opposition INDIA bloc at the rally being held in the Chettypalayam area.

The Congress, DMK, Left and other small parties are fighting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as a part of the INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu, which will see all 39 seats go to polls in the first phase on April 19.

Coimbatore is being seen as a seat where the BJP fancies its chances