Narendra Modi to address rally in Punjab

Pathankot (Punjab), June 23: After his appointment as the chairman of the BJP's election campaign panel, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will address his first public rally here Sunday afternoon, a state BJP leader said.

The rally is being organised at Madhopur town, which lies on the Punjab-Jammu and Kashmir border, to mark the 60th death anniversary of Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh -- precursor to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party's Punjab unit Kamal Sharma said this would be Modi's first public rally after his elevation as the party's election campaign chief.

Senior BJP leaders Shanta Kumar and Jagat Prakash Nadda are expected to attend the rally.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who heads the Akali Dal-BJP alliance government in Punjab, is also expected to attend the rally.

Madhopur is 250 km from the Punjab capital Chandigarh.

IANS