Modi rally draws huge crowd at ‘PM graveyard’ ground

The Pragati Maidan of Palampur, which was renamed after 1999 Kargil war hero Captain Vikram Batra, is considered to be politically jinxed for those who have held rallies here. Most politicians who have addressed a political rally here have suffered immense loss. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressed a political rally at the same ground and never became PM again.

In 1989, former PM Chander Shekhar addressed a rally in the same ground; he also never became PM again. Similarly, in the 90s, Rajiv Gandhi addressed a rally here and never became PM again.  Apart from the Congress, the ‘jinx’ applies to other parties as well. BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee addressed a rally in the ground and never became PM again.

Consider state-level leaders. Shanta Kumar, BJP’s present nominee from Kangra parliamentary constituency that covers Palampur as well, had addressed a political rally in the same ground when he was Himachal Chief Minister. He never became the CM again.

The state’s former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had addressed a political rally in the same ground in favour of Gaddi community during the last Vidhan Sabha polls and lost his chief ministership. In fact, the BJP lost badly to the Congress and could secure barely five out of 17 Assembly segments in Kangra parliamentary constituency.

The BJP today chose the same ground for its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s rally. BJP leaders claim, “The Modi wave is so strong that it will surely break this decades-old jinx and we do not have any doubts on that.”

Modi’s rally invited a good response from the crowd. The scorching heat failed to dampen spirits of an enthusiastic crowd that had started assembling at the venue since 8 am. BJP nominee Shanta Kumar, addressing the gathering, slammed the Congress government for not doing enough for the people of Himachal Pradesh. “It is time we correct our mistakes. The nation definitely needs a change. It is shocking how Congress leaders have minted money by fooling innocent people. We hope Narendra Modi brings an end to this corruption,” said Tej Singh, a farmer from Chamba who said he had been a Congress supporter throughout his life but would like to vote for BJP this time.

Modi rally draws huge crowd at ‘PM graveyard’ ground