Rajoy has told members of his conservative Popular Party in Barcelona that "we want a massive turnout to open up a new period of normalcy", AP reported.
Rajoy's visit to Catalonia's main city was his first to the northeastern region since he used extraordinary powers to stifle its secession push. A
fter Catalonia's Parliament voted Oct. 27 in favor of a declaration of independence, Rajoy responded by firing its government, dissolving its parliament and calling the early election.
Spain's leader says "it's urgent to return a sense of normality to Catalonia and do so as soon as possible to lower the social and economic tensions."