Amroha (Uttar Pradesh): Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who appeared in a jolly mood in Amroha, the native place of India pacer Mohammed Shami on polling day, enlivened the atmosphere much to the cheer of people, who attended his rally on Friday.
PM Modi, who has time and again spoke about his admiration for Shami again took the fast bowler's name on polling day. He was also seen playing a 'dholak' that was gifted to him and linked dholak and fast bowler Mohd Shami with Amroha's pride. Addressing the public meeting here, he said that Amroha's dholak had got the GI tag and Shami played 'desh ka danka'.
Speaking at the rally, he also accused previous governments of cheating SC, ST, and OBC communities in the name of social justice. He said that the BJP was working to fulfil the dreams of Jyotiba Phule, Dr BR Ambedkar and Chaudhary Charan Singh.
Addressing the rally in support of BJP candidate from the Amroha Lok Sabha constituency Kanwar Singh Tanwar, PM Modi said, "I appeal to all to exercise their right to vote given by the Constitution."
Modi emphasized that youngsters should especially go out and vote to secure their future and that of the country. Attacking the opposition INDIA block, he said, "People of INDI alliance are using their strengths to make villages backwards." The prime minister was accompanied by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on the dias.
Modi addressed the rally as polling was underway in eight western Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha constituencies in the first phase of the general election in the country. Polling for the first round of Lok Sabha elections in eight constituencies of western Uttar Pradesh began on Friday.
The seats include Saharanpur, Bijnor, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Nagina (reserved), Moradabad, Rampur and Pilibhit. These fall in the Jat and sugarcane belt of the state. The Amroha Lok Sabha constituency of western Uttar Pradesh will go to polls in the second phase on April 26.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has joined hands with the Rashtriya Lok Dal while the Samajwadi Party has allied with the Congress for the election. The Bahujan Samaj Party has decided to go solo. A total of 80 candidates -- 73 men and seven women -- are in the fray in the first phase of polling.
The Election Commission (EC) said, 1.43 crore people are eligible to cast their votes in the first phase. Of them, 76.23 lakh are men, 67.14 lakh are women and 824 are transgender persons. According to data compiled by political parties, Muslim voters account for 35 to 50 per cent of the electorate in these constituencies.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said the polling is being held on 14,849 polling booths at 7,689 polling centres. To ensure tight security arrangements, 6,018 inspectors and sub-inspectors, 35,750 constables and 24,992 home guard personnel, along with 60 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and 220 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed.
