Narendra Modi to kick off BJP's poll campaign with youth rally in AP

BJP's national election campaign chief Narendra Modi will start the party's campaign for the Lok Sabha elections with a youth rally here on August 11. "Congress has ruled the country and ruined the country for 55 years. From Parliament to Panchayat, from municipality to Mukhyamantri, every post was held by Congress. It is responsible for all the ills faced by the country."

"That's why we want a 'Congress-mukt Bharat'. Narendra Modi, as the chairman of the campaign committee, will be starting his campaign from Hyderabad on 11th (of August) with a call to the people to make India free of Congress party," senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters.

Christened 'Navabharata Yuvabheri' (youth convention for a new India), the meeting will be held at the Lal Bahadur stadium in central part of Hyderabad. The AP unit of BJP has been doing online as well as offline registration and its move to collect Rs five voluntary contribution towards Uttarakhand rain relief had come under criticism from Congress leaders.

According to state BJP president G Kishan Reddy, one lakh people are expected to attend the meeting and grounds close to the LB stadium have also been arranged for participants to watch the proceedings on screens to be put up.

Replying to a query, he said the collected fund would be given to BJP's state in charge Prabhat Jha tomorrow. The online registration process is still on, he said.

During his visit, the Gujarat Chief Minister would unveil a statue of Sardar Patel at a school and also interact with the BJP's state office-bearers.