PM Modi's Odisha visit preponed to January 15

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposed visit to Balangir in Odisha has been preponed by a day to January 15, a senior BJP leader said Sunday.

The prime minister, who was scheduled to visit Balangir on January 16, will now be there on January 15, leader of BJP Legislature Party, K V Singhdeo, told reporters.

During his visit to the western Odisha town, the prime minister will address "Swabhiman Samavesh" of the saffron party. The PM will also attend an official programme there, Singhdeo said.

This will be Modi's third visit to the state in three weeks. The prime minister had visited the state on December 24 to inaugurate a new campus of IIT Aragul besides launching a slew of projects worth over Rs 14,500 crore in Bhubaneswar.

Modi also visited Baripada in tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district, where he unveiled a basket of projects worth over Rs 4,500 crore, on Saturday.

Barely three days after Modi's Balangir tour, BJP president Amit Shah is slated to visit Odisha on January 18 to meet booth-level workers in Cuttack, a BJP leader said.

Shah will hold five such meetings in Cuttack, according to BJP general secretary and in-charge of Odisha, Arun Singh.