Guwahati: The Assam BJP said it is planning to bring about three lakh people at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public rally in Kamrup district’s Changsari, on the outskirts of the city, on February 9. Such a huge gathering is crucial at a time when the state is seething in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.Talking to TOI on Thursday, BJP MLA from Dhekiajuli Ashok Singhal said preparations are being made to accommodate three lakh people at the ground where PM will deliver his speech after “bhumi puja” of the AIIMS centre at Changsari. “In fact, we are expecting a footfall of more than three lakh. The PM is going to inaugurate projects worth Rs 37,000 crore. This is a big event for the people of the state,” he added.The PM will also lay the foundation for the third bridge over the Brahmaputra, connecting Guwahati with North Guwahati, and will also inaugurate a Rs 1200-crore biorefinery. The bio-refinery is a joint venture of Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) and the Finland-based Chempolis for producing 49,000 tonnes of bio-ethanol annually. Modi will also inaugurate a slew of projects in Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura.Finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said preparations are on to welcome the PM. Asked about the turnout of people expected at the meeting, Sarma said, “The size of the field is enormous. I can say with certainty that the entire ground where the meeting will be held will be filled up people.”The PM’s visit on February 9 comes at a time when protests against the citizenship bill, which was passed in the Lok Sabha in January on January 8, will complete one month on Friday. While demonstrations are are on since the bill was placed in Parliament for the first time in 2016, the movement gained momentum after the passage of the bill that seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who have taken shelter in India till December 31, 2014.“Through a large gathering of people during PM’s visit, we want to send the message that people are still with us,” said a BJP leader.The PM’s visit will also kick off BJP’s poll campaign in the Brahmaputra Valley which is witnessing intesnse protestd against the bill. On January 4, PM addressed a public meeting at Silchar in the Bengali-dominated Barak Valley.

Stay updated with all the Latest Guwahati headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.