Modi cut-outs stifle Old Airport Road

Garden City gears up for Narendra Modi’s maiden visit to State after becoming PM

September 23, 2014 12:56 am | Updated November 16, 2021 05:47 pm IST - BANGALORE:

BANGALORE - 22.09.2014 :  The road leading to the HAL airport where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive on Tuesday is inundated with cutoouts of BJP leaders to welcome him, in Bangalore on September 22, 2014.      Photo: K. Murali Kumar.

BANGALORE - 22.09.2014 : The road leading to the HAL airport where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive on Tuesday is inundated with cutoouts of BJP leaders to welcome him, in Bangalore on September 22, 2014. Photo: K. Murali Kumar.

The Garden City is gearing up to welcome Narendra Modi on Tuesday on his first visit to the State after becoming Prime Minister. The road leading to HAL airport, where he will land, is inundated with cut-outs. Enthusiastic BJP leaders have taken up every electricity pole and tree on the median.

On its part, the BBMP is painting the pavements and the median, besides filling up pot-holes. The airport staff is pruning the ornamental plants in front of the building and cleaning up the premises.

Security staff, dog squads and bomb disposal squads have been pressed into service. The police commissioner and civic chief inspected the routes to be taken by the Prime Minister.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said that he would be attending the inauguration of the Food Park in Tumkur by the prime minister on Wednesday.

Mr. Modi’s visit comes close on the heels of the visit of BJP National President Amit Shah who instructed the party to take to confront the government on its alleged failures.

BJP, Congress trying to outdo each other

There appears to be a competition between the BJP and the Congress to dominate the function in Tumkur. Both parties are mobilising as many workers as they can to attend the event.

The Congress has asked its workers to make their presence felt at Tumkur by attending in large numbers. On Monday, the BJP announced that nearly 20,000 of its workers would attend the event.

When asked of the possibility of tension due to the congregation of political opponents in large numbers at the function, BJP leader R. Ashok said the party had instructed its workers to desist from shouting slogans or carrying party flags as it is not a political function. They have been told to abide by the protocol.

But he responded to Congress leaders’ allegations that the BJP is embarrassing them by turning official programmes attended by the Prime Minister into party functions. “We will follow whatever pattern was adopted by them (Congress leaders) during programmes of the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.”

Memorandum war

Even as the State government is preparing to submit a memorandum to Mr. Modi seeking Central aid for flood relief operations, the opposition BJP wants to submit a separate memorandum on the issue.

BJP leader R. Ashok told reporters on Monday that the party would also appeal for sanction of new infrastructure projects to the State, especially Bangalore.

Interestingly, the itinerary of the Prime Minister does not mention any formal discussion with party leaders. Mr. Ashok said party leaders would take up these issues with him on the sidelines of other programmes.

Two statues being readied

The BJP wants to present a statue of Bangalore founder Kempe Gowda to Mr. Modi. “We have ordered two statues – one made out of sandalwood and another of silver – to be on the safer side. Whichever statue will be ready by Tuesday will be presented to him,” Mr. Ashok told The Hindu .

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