NaMo ‘storm’ in Belgaum on Thursday

Belgaum: A team of top police and government officials from Gujarat and Karnataka is reviewing the security arrangements for the visit of BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi to the city on Thursday.

The Gujarat Chief Minister is expected to address 15,000 students from various health education colleges of the KLE Society at the district stadium on the theme of healthcare in the country, according to Dr A.S. Godhi, principal of the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC), which has organised the event.

Claiming the programme is non-political, Kore, chairman of KLE Society which runs JNMC, reveals political leaders from all parties have been invited for it.

Although Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is also among the invitees, he has not confirmed his participation.

But several top BJP leaders including Sadananda Gowda, Jagadish Shettar and Ananth Kumar are expected to attend, he adds.

“So far, arrangements have been made at the venue only for students as the public may not be allowed. We are leaving it to the Belgaum police to decide whether or not to allow the public in and where they should be accommodated,'' Kore said.

Modi, who is expected to arrive on a special flight at the Sambra Airport near Belgaum at 3.30 pm, is scheduled to reach JNMC at 3.50 pm.

He will be briefed about the history of KLE Society which runs over 200 institutions in the country before he heads off to inaugurate a hi-tech pathology laboratory at the institute and participate in an interaction with a team of professors from various institutions run by the society.

His visit will culminate with his address to the students at the district stadium later.

Deputy commissioner N Jairam held a meeting in Belgaum on Wednesday to review the arrangements made for the visit of the Gujarat CM.