Ahmedabad police cancel roadshow, PM has plan B: Sea plane on Sabarmati

Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose Tuesday's roadshow in Ahmedabad was cancelled due to security and law and order, will now travel in a sea-plane from Sabarmati river in the city to Dharoi dam in Mehsana district, the first-ever flight by such a craft in the country.

His return journey would also be by the same sea-plane.

"Tomorrow for the first time in the history of the country a sea-plane will land on the Sabarmati river. I will go to Ambaji in the sea-plane after landing in Dharoi dam and come back," Modi announced at a poll rally in Ahmedabad.

"Our party had planned my road show tomorrow. However, the administration has not given permission and I had time so I decided to go to Ambaji in the sea-plane," Modi said.

In his tweet, the Prime Minister said, "With air, roads & rail connectivity, our Government is making efforts for harnessing waterways. All this is for 125 crore Indians!"

In his rally too Modi said: "We cannot have airports everywhere, so our government has planned to have these sea-planes."

The roadshow of the Prime Minister and Rahul Gandhi faced a roadblock after the Gujarat police denied permission for it, saying they were apprehensive of law and order issues.

Rahul Gandhi's roadshow was to go through the Old City, the Prime Minister was to focus on the newer parts across the river. But the police said there was a possibility of trouble because the routes "were in mutual conflict".

Tuesday is the last day of campaigning for the second phase of voting on Thursday in Gujarat, where the campaigning has been aggressive and high-pitched. Over the weekend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi had addressed multiple rallies.

With inputs from PTI.