Prayed to God to bestow divine blessings on people of the country: Modi

Tirumala: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday offered prayers at Venkateswara temple situated in the hill town of Tirumala in Tirupati on the occasion of Dussehra.

Modi said he offered prayers, seeking blessings on the people of the country to lead a peaceful life with prosperity and unity. "I am privileged to get the blessings of Lord Balaji. I am confident that with his blessings the country will maintain its peace and unity and will be able to fight poverty," the Prime Minister said.

''Seeing happiness on the face of every common man of the country is our priority and we will achieve it with the blessings of Lord Balaji," said Modi.

Earlier, he was given a grand welcome with Isthikaphal at Mahadwaram. Modi was accompanied by Governor ESL Narasimhan and CM N Chandrababu Naidu along with union ministers M Venkaiah Naidu, Nirmala Sitaraman, Ashok Gajapathi Raju.

The priests blessed Modi by way of reciting hymns at the sprawling Rangamandapam in the shrine as he remained seated on the floor alongside the Governor and Chandrababu Naidu.

This was Modi’s maiden visit to the ancient temple after becoming Prime Minister.