Chavan to skip Modi events in Nagpur?

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan may avoid sharing the dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at functions scheduled in Nagpur Thursday, official sources indicated Wednesday.

The decision has reportedly been prompted by last week's heckling of Chavan by Bharatiya Janata Party activists at a function attended by Modi in Raigad.

An official spokesperson said he was not aware of Chavan's programmes for Thursday.

Authoritative sources, however, said that in view of the "insulting behavior" of BJP activists at an official function, Chavan was likely to skip Thursday's official events in the state's second capital Nagpur.

Modi is scheduled to dedicate the Mouda Super Thermal Power Project Phase I and later lay the foundation stone of the proposed Nagpur Metro, the Pardi Grid Metro and a flyover on National Highway 6, all in Nagpur.

Expressing concern over what it termed as "undignified development", the Maharashtra Congress said it proved the BJP had no respect for the opposition.

"It is leading to suspicions that the prime minister is adopting a dictatorial attitude. Never before in this country has a chief minister been openly heckled in an official government function," said state Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant.

Sawant said it was shocking that Modi maintained a silence as BJP activists created a ruckus against the chief minister.

On Tuesday, Haryana chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had a similar experience when he was heckled by BJP activists shouting pro-Modi slogans at a function in Kaithal.

Later, Hooda declared that he would not attend any function attended by Modi.

At Thursday's functions, Modi will be accompanied by Governor K. Sankaranarayanan and central ministers Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal.