Prez to visit Patna tomorrow

President Pranab Mukherjee will visit Patna tomorrow to attend the second Convocation of Indian Institute of Technology.
Mukherjee, who was earlier scheduled to visit the state for two days (Oct 26-27), curtailed it by a day as his earlier programme clashed with BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's rally in Patna.
BJP had urged Mukherjee to revise his schedule to visit Bihar on October 26-27 as it coincided with its 'Hunkar Rally' on October 27.
The clash between the President's visit and Modi's rally had become an issue between BJP and its former ally JD(U).
BJP had alleged that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had deliberately invited the President on October 27 as well to scuttle the party rally.

After the President's office revised the schedule limiting it to one day, BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy had said, "We felt concerned that the earlier scheduled hunkar rally of Narendra Modi in Patna on October 27 may cause inconvenience to the President.
"The President informed us that he will be in Patna on October 26 only for two hours. We are profoundly grateful to the President and will welcome him in Patna.