Ahmedabad, April 25 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to kickstart his campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat on May 1, coinciding with Gujarat Foundation Day. Modi's whirlwind tour will see him address six rallies in two days across the state, focusing on 14 parliamentary constituencies.

The Prime Minister's itinerary includes meetings in Deesa and Himmatnagar in North Gujarat on May 1, followed by rallies in Anand, Wadhwan, Junagadh, and Jamnagar on May 2. Modi's first rally on May 1 is scheduled at the airport ground in Deesa at 3:30 pm, supporting candidates from Banaskantha and Patan. Subsequently, he will address a gathering in Himmatnagar at 5:15 pm, backing candidates from Sabarkantha, Mehsana, and Ahmedabad East.

On May 2, Modi will commence his campaign at Shastri Ground in Anand at 11 am, focusing on Anand and Kheda constituencies. This will be followed by a rally in Wadhwan at 1 pm, covering Surendranagar, Rajkot, and Bhavnagar seats. The Prime Minister's third rally on the same day is scheduled in Junagadh at 3:15 pm, where he will seek support for candidates from Junagadh, Porbandar, and Amreli. Modi's final rally on May 2 will be in Jamnagar at 5 pm, targeting voters from Jamnagar and Porbandar.

In the run-up to the elections, BJP's morale received a boost with four Congress MLAs, one Aam Aadmi Party MLA, and one independent MLA joining the party. However, there have been some challenges, particularly in Kshatriya-dominated seats, following remarks by BJP's Rajkot candidate, Parshottam Rupala. BJP has strategically linked these seats to Modi's campaign to counter any potential impact.

BJP faces stiff competition from the Kshatriya community in seats like Anand, Rajkot, Banaskantha, Valsad, Surendranagar, and Jamnagar. To address this, BJP has relied on Modi's charisma and popularity, making his rallies a key strategy in their election playbook.