Eye on UP polls, Modi to celebrate Dussehra in Lucknow

October 04, 2016 19:16

Breaking from tradition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the historic Aishbagh Ramlila in Lucknow on Dussehra next week, seen as yet another attempt to connect to the people of poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

BJP vice president and Lucknow Mayor Dinesh Sharma, who is also the Ramlila's patron, said Modi has accepted his invitation to attend the October 11 event, which dates back to the times of Hindu saint Tulsidas.

The PM will participate in the 'aarti' and then fire the symbolic arrow to burn the effigy of demon king Ravana, he said.

Usually, the prime ministers have celebrated the festival in the national capital.

Modi's visit assumes an added significance because of assembly polls due next year in Uttar Pradesh where the saffron party is making a concerted bid to come back to power after a gap of 15 years and is up against ruling Samajwadi Party and main opposition Mayawati-led BSP.

The Aishbagh Ramlila is also seen as a symbol of pluralistic culture, also called 'Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb', as Muslim rulers patronised it and allotted it space equal to Eidgah, which is situated right next to it.

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