CHENNAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to the Gandhigram Rural Institute- Deemed to be University in Dindigul district on Friday has evoked enormous excitement among the State’s BJP leaders and functionaries that they had started putting up BJP flags on both sides of the road from Madurai airport to the university, much to the annoyance of the police.
Though the Prime Minister’s original schedule was to reach the university campus, where he would be attending the annual convocation and also awarding a honorary doctoral degree to well-known film music director Bharathiraja, by helicopter from the airport, the State BJP leaders would like him to cover to 99 km stretch by road to enable them extend a rousing welcome to him.
However, it is not clear if security clearance would be granted for such a road show in the State that has witnessed several agitations during his earlier visits with the slogan ‘Go Back Modi’ rending the air, black flags waved at him and black balloons flown towards his helicopter in the past.
While such incidents stopped after the present DMK government took charge, making Modi’s later day visit to the State, particularly those to inaugurate the 44th Chess Olympiad in September and to take part in the Anna University convocation in Chennai, cordial affairs, it needs to be watched if the long trip from Madurai to Gandhigram would be allowed.
The massive protest on Thursday by workers and all party trade unions on the roads of Visakhapatnam, ahead of the Prime Minister’s scheduled arrival from Madurai on a two-day visit to the Telugu speaking States, on Friday, could also be a deterrent for permitting the road trip to Gandhigram from Madurai airport.
The protest in Visakhapatnam, which was against the proposed privatization of the public sector Visakhapatnam Steel plant, was quelled immediately by the police who cracked down and arrested the participants to ensure that the Prime MInister's visit went on without a hitch.
After the Gandhigram convocation, which would be attended by Governor R N Ravi and Chief Minister M K Stalin, Modi would take off from Madurai to Visakhapatnam in the special aircraft that would bring him down to Madurai in the afternoon.
Besides the State BJP leaders and cadre who are keen on welcoming the Prime Minister, AIADMK’s warring top honchos, Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam, have also evinced interest in welcoming and also meeting Modi at Madurai.
BJP State President K Annamalai had already left for Madurai to oversee the arrangements being made to welcome the Prime Minister both at the airport and also at the university. There is also a talk that Modi would briefly meet BJP State functionaries and cadre before leaving Madurai, which had brought party leaders in droves.
But State BJP functionaries are hard pressed for time as they would have to reach Chennai on Friday evening itself from Madurai as Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to arrive on a two-day visit. Shah, who would be put up in a star hotel in Chennai, is also expected to meet leaders and functionaries. Palanaiswami and Panneerselvam might also call him, sources said.
