State BJP chief Laxmikant Bajpayi confirmed Modi will address a public meeting at Dulla Khurd village, about 3km from Gauriganj, the district headquarters of Amethi. BJP general secretary and Modi aide Amit Shah is overseeing arrangements for the rally that BJP hopes will be a big show.
The decision to go all out against the Congress vice-president is intended to try and coral him in his bastion and fan the impression of BJP's ascendance while signaling that the Gandhi borough is not a safe a seat any more.
The move does breach an unwritten code that top leaders do not campaign in each other's seats - something like a fast bowler not bowling bouncers at another - but Modi has not bothered much with convention.
Giving a clear indication of BJP's plans, senior leader Arun Jaitley said, "For long, Amethi has elected sons and daughters of influential families. It is time to elect a true daughter of Amethi. We will all campaign for Smriti Irani."
BJP leaders feel taking on the Congress leader, despite the risk that Rahul might emerge unscathed, is worth running as it would indicate the saffron party's confidence in its over all Lok Sabha tally.
Priyanka Gandhi has been campaigning continuously in Rae Bareli, where Sonia Gandhi seeks re-election, and Amethi for the past few weeks. BJP feels her high profile presence is also dictated by rumbling among voters.
Targeting Congress in its fortress could also add to the impression that BJP is on an upswing in the last two phases in populous east Uttar Pradesh where no less than 33 Lok Sabha seats are due to go to polls.
The move to carpet bomb Amethi, which polls on May 7, follows BJP's assessment that there is considerable discontent in the constituency despite its VIP tag, a view supported by several media reports.
Despite being seen as a three-cornered contest with Aam Admi Party's Vishwas Kumar in the fray, Irani has emerged as the principal challenger and BJP hopes its strong last lap campaign will marginalize AAP.
Even though BJP may not hope to unseat Rahul, it would like to create a scare and maybe force the Congress leader to spend more time in his constituency.
As it is, both Rae Bareli and Amethi have caused some concern for the Congress leadership as assembly segments in the two seats have not supported party nominees in the recent past.
Priyanka Gandhi had to spend considerable time in the two seats during the assembly polls in 2012, when reports trickled in of desertions of minority supporters and party workers.
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