PM Modi takes darshan of Lord Ganesh on arrival in Mumbai

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday began his one-day tour of Maharashtra by offering prayers to Lord Ganesh in suburban Vile Parle in Mumbai.

Modi visited Lokmanya Seva Sangh (LSS), a 96-year-old not-for-profit organisation inspired by the values propagated by freedom fighter 'Lokmanya' Bal Gangadhar Tilak, to offer his prayers, as a part of ongoing Ganesh festival.

The prime minister went straight to the LSS from the city airport, located nearby.

He also garlanded the bust of the 'Lokmanya', who had started Ganesh festival at the public level to galvanise people against the British, on the LSS premises.

The PM also garlanded the bust of noted Marathi litterateur late P L Deshpande to mark his birth centenary year.

"The idea of celebrating Ganesh festival publicly was mooted by Lokmanya Tilak more than a century ago. The festival is now celebrated all over the country and the world," the prime minister said later while addressing a gathering at Jio World Centre in the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC).

At the BKC, the PM inaugurated three metro lines for Mumbai. He also unveiled a state-of-the-art metro coach, the first metro coach under 'Make in India'.

Meanwhile, Vile Parle BJP MLA Parag Alavani said the Ganesh idol at the LSS is celebrating the centenary year.

"Modi also paid tributes to P L Deshpande and garlanded his bust at the LSS. Modiji asked how many times in a day do people who visit the area dedicated to Deshpande in the LSS laugh," said Alavani.

"Pu La Deshpande ka naam bole aur hase nahi to kaise chalega (Deshpande's name itself evokes laughter)," the MLA quoted the prime minister as saying.

The PM also interacted with officials of the LSS who presented him with a portrait of 'Lokmanya' and books on the activities of the LSS, as well as history of Vile Parle.

Earlier, after landing at the airport, the PM was welcomed by state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Apart from Koshyari and Fadnavis, state BJP unit president Chandrakant Patil was also present when Modi offered prayers to the idol.

Later in the day, the prime minister is scheduled to address a state-level Mahila Saksham Melava or Empowered Women's Meet of Self Help Groups, being organised by Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission (UMED) in Aurangabad.

He will also inaugurate AURIC Business and Administrative Building and Dedicate DMIC AURIC City to the Nation in Aurangabad.