AHMEDABAD/ NEW DELHI, AUGUST 20: The Gujarat BJP today revived the gaurav yatra, announcing its launch from Kheda, one of the districts worst-hit by the riots, on Sept. 3.

Addressing a press conference here, state unit president Rajendrasinh Rana said he and Chief Minister Narendra Modi will be leading the show and there would be no cancellation or postponement this time.

Modi’s gaurav rath. Express file photo

‘‘Now that the Assembly has been dissolved and polls are near, there is no reason for deferring the yatra,’’ he said, adding, ‘‘This time the yatra is part of the election campaign.’’

Rana said the state unit had got the go-ahead from the party’s Central leadership. This was confirmed by party spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in Delhi. ‘‘If the Jagannath Yatra and other processions can be taken out what’s wrong with the gaurav yatra,’’ he said.

Asked why the gaurav yatra was being launched from Phagvel in Kheda, he said it was a pilgrimage centre where Bhatiji Maharaj was killed in a campaign against cow slaughter about 200 years ago.

Gujarat BJP office-bearers had been busy working out the yatra’s route and schedule till late on Monday night. Sources said this time, the state leaders had taken care that the yatra got the high command’s clearance to avoid the embarrassment of a last-minute change or cancellation.

Modi was forced to call off the yatra at the eleventh hour last time following a directive from the Prime Minister.

The first phase of this yatra — Sept. 3 and 4 — will begin from Phagvel and pass through Kapdwanj, Bayad, Dehgam, Talod, Prantij. Rana said the yatra would cover all 182 constituencies.

Party sources said the yatra will run for one and a half months. Rana said the yatra had been planned for two days every weekend and would be attended by Chief Minister Narendra Modi and himself. However, if required, the days would be increased.

Among those who attended Monday’s meeting were Rana, Rajya Sabha MP Jayanti Barot, BJP state vice-president Amit Shah, Amreli MP Dilip Sanghani, Daskroi MLA Vijay Patel, Karsan Patel, and Bhikhubhai Dalsania.

Naqvi charged the Opposition with politicising the riots, saying it had ‘‘damaged’’ Gujarat’s image and ‘‘hurt’’ people’s self-respect. On the remarks by Governor S.S. Bhandari that the situation in the state was conducive for polls, he said: ‘‘I don’t think the Governor has done anything above his constitutional duty and he was only stating the ground reality.’’