An impressive crowd has begun to swell in the much-publicized Swabhiman (self-respect) Rally organized by the chief minister Nitish Kumar led grand alliance at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on Sunday.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has come out as the biggest crowd puller in the rally with large number of his supporters from across the state have thronged the rally ground.
Lalu Prasad along with his wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi along his two sons and eldest daughter Misa Bharti and Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav has left for the rally ground.
The Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar too has come out of his residence to reach the rally venue at Gandhi Maidan.
Both the leaders will reach Gandhi Maidan in just few minutes of time.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi is expected to reach Patna at 12:30 p.m. to address the rally along with the alliance leaders.
The state capital Patna wears a deserted look with all the shops and business establishments are closed and people have preferred to remain indoor.
Stream of rally goers have occupied the main roads of the capital city leading to the rally venue.
The whole city is covered with the posters, banners, hoarding and billboards of the leaders of the grand alliance appealing people to come at the rally ground.
Many of the rally supporters had descended to the city and stayed put at the official residence of the party legislators and ministers from Saturday evening.
Cultural programmes with nautch girls performing at some places, were organized and lavish food was served to the rally goers for their entertainment at those places.
Political observers, meanwhile, are keeping eye on the first grand rally of the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) of ruling party Janata Dal(United), Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress Party to take on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA in Bihar poll.
Huge number of people had turned out in all the three Parivartan rallies of PM Modi in Bihar held at Muzaffarpur, Gaya and Saharsa. PM Modi is also scheduled to address his fourth rally at Bahaglpur on September 1.
The district administration has made elaborate security arrangement for the rally.
Meanwhile, the Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan has charged that the Swabhiman Rally in fact, “is a government sponsored rally with gross misuse of government machinery”.
