Kanpur gears up for high-profile rallies

Kanpur, Feb 16: The local administration is scurrying to put up the paraphernalia for two high profile election rallies by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati in Kanpur on Friday. [Read:

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Officials hope that the events on Friday would go on smoothly without any hiccups.

Top leaders like SP's Mulayam Singh Yadav, BJP's Sushma Swaraj, Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit and several other local leaders visited the city for campaigning on Thursday.

Singh will begin his campaign from Motijheel grounds hoping that like the previous two elections, the city will once again prove lucky for the party.

Party sources say, Kanpur, besides proving lucky, is also the industrial hub of UP and a major centre of revenue generation so the Prime Minister favours the city to start his campaign.

BSP supremo Mayawati's rally is scheduled at 3 pm just after the PM's rally.

The rallies of the Prime Minister and UP Chief Minister scheduled barely an hour within each other has certainly increased the workload of the administration here, but officials say they will spare no effort in organising the two high profile events.

Senior police officials say they are satisfied with all arrangements and security measures and hope to put up a well organised show.

PTI