Thaindian News

Moga (Punjab), Dec 17 (IANS) Claiming that it would be “the largest ever held in the world and an eye opener for the whole country”, Punjab’s ruling Shiromani Akali Dal Saturday finalised all arrangements for a rally that will kickstart its campaign for the forthcoming assembly polls.

The Akali Dal is planning to gather nearly 500,000 people for the rally to be held at Killi Challan village, 15 km from this Punjab town, Sunday. The rally venue is spread over 250 acres to accommodate the party supporters and thousands of vehicles that would ferry them to the venue.

“The Moga rally being organized by the Akali Dal Dec 18 would be the largest rally ever held in the world which would be an eye opener for the whole country, indicating the decimation of the Congress party from Punjab scene,” Akali Dal president and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said.

Out of the total area of the rally venue, people will be sitting in 100 acres whereas another 130 acres will be for parking, an Akali Dal spokesman said.

Badal said that the party has made elaborate arrangements for the rally and arrangement for overnight stay of more than one lakh (100,000) people.

Hundreds of police personnel, who have been brought from various districts of the state, have been deployed at the rally venue and the roads leading up to it for security and to ensure a smooth rally.

The rally will be addressed by top Akali Dal leaders, including Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, and the Akalis’ alliance partner, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.

The district administration and police in Moga and senior officers of the state government have been supervising the arrangements for the rally in the last few days.

All Akali Dal leaders have been asked to bring hundreds of supporters from all parts of Punjab for the success of the rally.

The authorities have made traffic diversions on several highways leading towards Moga. Vehicular traffic, which is not headed towards the rally venue, is being diverted to other roads.

Opposition Congress leaders have slammed the Badal government and the Akali Dal for misuse of government machinery for holding the party rally.

“The Akali Dal leaders should try to hold this kind of a rally after the election code comes into play and they are unable to use the state machinery,” former chief minister and Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh said Saturday.