Modi arrives in Odisha to address poll rallies

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday arrived here on a two-day visit to Odisha to campaign for BJP candidates in simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the State.

After his arrival at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar, Modi went to Odisha BJP’s headquarters where he was scheduled to hold a meeting with the party’s State leaders and would stay the night at the Raj Bhavan. As his cavalcade moved towards the party office, people gathered on both sides of the road, cheered for the Prime Minister and waved cutouts of the BJP’s election symbol ‘lotus’.

As soon as Modi arrived at the party’s State headquarters for the first time, he was given a ceremonial welcome by Odisha BJP leaders. The Prime Minister is scheduled to leave Bhubaneswar around 7.25 am on Monday for Puri and visit Sri Jagannath temple.

Modi will hold a roadshow in the pilgrim town in the morning, a State BJP leader said. Elaborate security arrangements with the deployment of 66 platoons have been made in Puri for the roadshow, police said.

After the roadshow, the Prime Minister will take a helicopter to reach Angul where he is scheduled to address a public meeting at Stadium Field Ground. He will campaign for BJP candidates for Dhenkanal Lok Sabha seat and its Assembly segments.

After the Angul meeting, the Prime Minister will leave for Cuttack and address another election rally at Kila Padia. This is Modi’s third visit to the State in the last two weeks during the ongoing Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

The first phase of the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections were held in the State on May 13, while the second round will be on Monday. Two more phases of the twin polls will be on May 25 and June 1.