Modi's three-day campaign in Gujarat begins on Wednesday

Even as programmes of several political leaders were cancelled in Gujarat in view of cyclone "Ockhi", Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to go ahead with his three-day visit to poll-bound state starting Wednesday.

Earlier, prediction of Ockhi hitting the shores of Surat and elsewhere in Gujarat by Tuesday midnight led to cancellation of public meetings by various political parties, including the three-day visit of Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national President Amit Shah, who was in the state, also cancelled his rest of the programmes.

But Modi's schedule, it was announced, would stand as declared but for a minor change that he would visit Surat on Thursday instead of Wednesday.

The Prime Minister will arrive in the state on Wednesday and at around 9.30 a.m, he will address a public meeting in Dhandhuka.

After that he will head for the tribal areas where he has a programme scheduled in Dahod at 12 noon and thereafter in Netrang at 2.00 p.m.

On Thursday, the visit to Surat will be adjusted in-between his previously announced visits to Bhabhar, Kalol, Himatnagar and Vatva. He will start the day by addressing a public meeting at Bhabhar at 11.00 a.m.

Thereafter, Modi will visit Kalol in Gandhinagar district at 12:30 p.m. In Himmatnagar, he addresses a public meeting at 2:30 p.m and will be in Ahmedabad to address a gathering in Vatva region at 4.00 p.m.

On Friday, Narendra Modi will visit Lunawada at 9:30 in the morning and address a public meeting. After that, he will go to Bodeli at around 11.00 a.m. He will visit the milk capital Anand and address a gathering at 12 noon. His last public meeting of the day will be at Mehsana, the Patidar bastion, at 3.00 p.m.

Earlier, visits of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adiytanath, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje Scindia, BJP leaders Manoj Tiwari and Congress leader Raj Babbar, among others, were cancelled in the wake of announcement regarding the cyclone.

--IANS

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