Mangaluru: The BJP might have won the Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, but it was Mangaluru where Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the victory!
Mr Modi stayed overnight in Mangaluru on Monday. He is scheduled to review the situation in cyclone-affected Lakshadweep, Kerala and Tamil Nadu on Tuesday. He arrived at the Mangaluru International Airport on Monday night. He was greeted and welcomed by Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Mangaluru Vibhag Prabhari Uday Kumar Shetty and others.
Hundreds of party workers who had gathered outside the airport cheered and welcomed the Prime Minister, who waved to the people. Party workers had arrived from distant Belthangady and other places to take part in the Vijayotsav.
Mr Modi’s visit was confirmed on Sunday night and by Monday morning, party workers and leaders were seen making arrangements to welcome the Prime Minister. Banners, buntings and huge cutouts congratulating him for the victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh were put out on both sides of the road from the Mangaluru airport to the Circuit House, where he stayed.
District BJP president Sanjeev Matandoor said that no delegation or meeting was scheduled with the Prime Minister in Mangaluru.
Mr Modi is scheduled to leave Mangaluru at 7 on Tuesday morning and visit cyclone-affected areas in Lakshadweep, Kerala and Tamil Nadu on Tuesday.
Though the Prime Minister could go to Kerala directly and from there to Lakshadweep, his visit to Mangaluru is being seen as an indication that the party should gear up up for the assembly election scheduled for 2018.
