Narendra Modi's Kolkata rally: Big rush even for seats costing Rs 100

KOLKATA: A rally drawing huge crowds is nothing new to Kolkata, but people shelling out money and that too big money to listen to their leader was unheard of till BJP planned Narendra Modi’s rally at Brigade Ground.

The party has drummed up Modi’s visit to Kolkata on February 5 to the extent that it is expecting a crowd of over 7 lakh, almost the same as that of rally addressed by CM Mamata Banarjee recently.

The upbeat saffron brigade has capitalised on the NaMo visit and sold “front row” seats online – an absolute first for Brigade meetings ever. The minimum online price for a seat was Rs 100. “Some have even paid Rs 2 lakh for a seat,” said a top BJP source. “So far, 21,700 online booking have been received. Seats for these party supporters will be kept reserved, but they will have to come early,” said Rahul Sinha, BJP state president.

“People have also booked seats using debit and credit cards. We will have to update our bank account later to know exact inflows,” said Sinha. The rival parties are understandably not amused.

“The BJP has commercialised Modi and trying to project him as god,” said Trinamool leader Partha Chatterjee. CPM’s Md Salim told ET: “The BJP believes in corporate culture and it commercialises everything. It’s now hell-bent on selling a product called Narendra Modi.”