With the campaigning reaching a feverish pitch as the Lok
elections are just 10 days away, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a road show in
Chennai city on Tuesday evening as part of his campaign for the BJP-led NDA
candidates.
The single phase polling for 39 seats in Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in Puducherry
will be held on April 19.
Earlier, Mr Modi arrived at the airport here on a two-day visit to campaign for the
BJP-led NDA candidates ahead of the elections.
He was received at the airport by BJP state President K Annamalai, Union Minister
L.Murugan and others.
Immediately after his arrival Mr Modi, clad in traditional dhoti and white shirt and
an angavastaram around his neck, held a road show in Chennai city by carrying
a replica of BJP symbol ‘Lotus’ on his hand.
He later left for Raj Bhavan for overnight stay.
On Wednesday he will hold election meetings in Vellore and Coimbatore.
Mr Modi, who arrived by a special aircraft from Maharashtra at 1805 hrs, drove
straight to Panagal park in T.Nagar area, which was once a prominent place for
public meetings, where he held a road show as part of garnering votes for the
candidates of the BJP and its alliance parties.
He garnered votes for the BJP candidates contesting in all the three Chennai
constituencies–Chennai South, Chennai Central and Chennai North–which
were considered as pocketboroughs of the ruling DMK.
BJP leader and former Telangana Governor and Puducherry Lt.Governor
Ms Tamilisai Soundararajan,who had returned to active politics after resigning her
gubernatorial posts, is contesting from Chennai South, BJP’s Vinod Selvam and
Legal Wing leader Paul Kanagaraj are contesting from the Chennai Central and
Chennai North constituencies respectively.
Mr Modi, flanked by Mr Annamalai, Ms Tamilisai and other contesting candidates,
of BJP, with photos of Lotus in their hands, travelled in a tastefully decorated open
jeep as shouts of ‘Modi, Modi, Modi’ rent the air, with the decibel level reaching
a crescendo.
The road show lasted nearly an hour and it culminated at Teynampet area in the city.
A large number of enthusiastic BJP cadres, including women, carrying BJP flags,
and portraits of the Prime Minister and the Party symbol ‘Lotus’, lined up on both
sides of the road all along the two km stretch and greeted him.
Braving the searing seat, the cadres assembled at the road show route long before
the arrival of Mr Modi for campaigning.
The entire stretch was tastefully decorated with the BJP flags fluttering and wore
a festive look.
The BJP also organised various cultural events including traditional folks arts like
Mayilattim, Oyilattam, Poikkal Kuthirai, all along the route to accord a rousing
reception to Mr Modi.
They also showered flower petals on Mr Modi’s vehicle to greet him.
Mr Modi responded by waving to them and greeted them with folded hands.
Police have made tight security arrangements in view of his visit.
As part of five-tier security arrangements, nearly 10,000 police personnel were
deployed on security duty and all the roads in and around Panagal Park were
declared as ‘Red Zone’ and Sterile zone.
Police have also banned flying of drones and UAV’s during Mr Modi’s visit and
warned of strict action against those violating the orders.
Police have also announced traffic diversions in and around T.Nagar and advised
the motorists to avoid this stretch.On Mr Modi’s road show, Ms Tamilisai Soundararajan, said “There is a spark of
happiness. We are so fortunate to have a Prime Minister like him. There is a lot
of enthusiasm among our workers. PM Modi’s visit will help us, we will win. People
of South Chennai are very happy…”.
Apart from the BJP cadres and the public, including a large number of women,
cadres of the alliance parties, carrying portraits of their leaders, also participated
in the road show and greeted Mr Modi all through the route.
The BJP is making all out efforts to put up a better electoral show this time, under
the leadership of an aggressive and assertive Annamalai and prove that the BJP
has grown and gained a foothold in the state as an alternative to the two Dravidian
majors–the DMK and the AIADMK.
After the road show, Mr Modi drove down to Raj Bhavan for an overnight stay.
On Wednesday morning, Mr Modi will leave for Vellore by a helicopter where
he will address an election rally to canvass for NJP founder A.C.Shanmugam,
whose party is an ally of the BJP. He is contesting from Vellore for the third
time.
After the public meeting, Mr Modi will travel to Arakkonam Naval base and board
an IAF aircraft to Coimbatore to campaign for the BJP candidates in a public
meeting at Mettupalayam.
Mr. Modi will campaign for the BJP’s candidate for the Nilgiris constituency,
Union Minister L.Murugan; for the Coimbatore candidate and BJP State Unit
President K. Annamalai. for Tiruppur candidate and State general secretary
A.P. Muruganandam; for Pollachi candidate K. Vasantha Rajan and others.
This will be Mr Modi’s third public meeting in the Kongu region where the BJP
has a good following and his visit ahead of the elections was expected to further
consolidate the party’s presence in this Western belt of the State.
Mr. Modi’s first public meeting in the Kongu region was held in Palladam on
February 27, which coincided with the culmination of Mr. Annamalai’s state-wide
‘En Mann, En Makkal’ (My Soil, My People)’ padayatra. His second public meeting
was held in Salem on March 19.
Besides these two public meetings, he also conducted a roadshow in Coimbatore
on March 18, and paid homage to the victims of the 1998 Coimbatore serial blasts.
As per the schedule, Mr. Modi will reach Coimbatore International Airport on an IAF
aircraft from Arakkonam at 1.10 p.m. He will reach a helipad near Mettupalayam on
an IAF chopper at 1.35 p.m. and then travel by road to address a public meeting
which is expected to last around 45 minutes.
As part of heightened security, around 4,000 police personnel will be deployed at the
venue, around the helipad and all along the route as part of tight security arrangements.
The Coimbatore District (Rural) Police and the City Police have prohibited the operation
of drones or other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in their jurisdiction for two days from
today in view of Mr Modi’s visit.
After the meeting, he will leave Coimbatore for Nagpur at 3.15 p.m.
Meanwhile, reports said that Mr Modi is likely to visit the State again this weekend to
campaign for BJP and alliance party candidates in the southern districts, including
Kanniyakumari, where senior leader and former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan
is contesting.
