singursaga: After Bhopal, BJP to charge Rs 10 from its workers for Modi's Bangalore rally

Sunday, September 22, 2013

After Bhopal, BJP to charge Rs 10 from its workers for Modi's Bangalore rally

Earlier BJP party workers were charged Rs 5 for attending Modi's Bhopal rally. (AP)

BJP plans to charge Rs 10 from party workers who want to attend the proposed public rally of the outfit's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi here next month.

"There is a thinking in the party to charge Rs 10 and this decision is almost final," a senior party functionary said on Sunday.

The Gujarat Chief Minister is slated to address the public meeting in the second half of next month, which the party's state unit hopes would kick-start preparations for next year's general elections.

Senior leader M Venkaiah Naidu is the rally in-charge, and the party is scouting for a suitable location for the rally which it expects would attract a five-lakh strong crowd.

Rs 5 tickets were sold to the public for Modi's programme in Hyderabad earlier this year, and the party would charge a similar amount for party workers for his September 25 rally in Bhopal.

BJP sought to downplay the Rs 10 entry charge for its workers here, pointing out that it's common in the "Pariwar" conventions where they participate after paying a fee.

"The move is to get people committed to the party, its ideology and Modi," the functionary argued, adding that party workers can buy Rs 10 pass online to attend the rally of the outfit's poll mascot.