Rajnath begins Lucknow campaign Wednesday

BJP national president Rajnath Singh will arrive here Wednesday on his maiden visit after being announced the Lok Sabha candidate from the city.

He will visit the party's office to hold discussions with state party leaders.

Singh will be in the city for three days during which he will also inaugurate his election office in Hazratganj and will hold meetings with locals, doctors, lawyers and some Shia clerics.

The state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party has lined up a grand welcome for him. His son and party general secretary Pankaj Singh has been camping in the city for the past one week and along with his mother Savitri Singh is overseeing Singh's campaign.

A traders meeting and procession was taken out in old Lucknow Tuesday and support was sought for Singh.

While the incumbent MP Lalji Tandon had initially refused to vacate the seat, he has now fallen in line and has been at the forefront of Singh's campaign.

The city has been represented in the Lok Sabha thrice by former prime minister and party veteran Atal Bihari Vajpayee.