BHUBANESWAR: It was Varanasi all over again at Bhubaneswar on Saturday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to the streets of Bhubaneswar only the way he could. Stepping away from the security ring, the PM almost walked into the crowd as he was given a rapturous welcome in the State Capital upon his arrival on Saturday to attend the national executive committee meeting which is being held in the State after a gap of 20 years.
If he had led a sea of followers at Varanasi during the UP elections which the BJP clinched with a historic mandate, his roadshow in the Odisha capital was equally telling. Here he did not just wave at thousands of bystanders from his heavily-guarded vehicle, Modi broke away from his security cordon and came within handshaking distance of the people, most of whom were youngsters as he got down from the vehicle at least at two places.
At Jayadev Vihar Square of the city, his third halt during the roadshow, Modi had a brief chat with a group of tribal youth in presence of State BJP leaders before he walked towards the people who had stood behind the barricades for hours waiting to catch a glimpse.
He crossed the median strip of Jayadev Vihar-Nandankanan Road as the jittery Special Protection Group (SPG) men and Commissionerate Police threw a cordon around him. But there was no stopping the PM as he kept waving at the people and started taking a walk on the road.
Enthused by the PM who was only meters away from them, people jumped the rope barricades and ran towards the road divider. As chants of 'Modi..Modi' filled the air, the man in the centre of the attention kept smiling and went on walking. The security personnel did not have to do much of crowd-control since Modi himself signaled the crowd to hold back.
As the thrilled crowd kept clicking pictures from close distance, Modi gave them enough chances to make it memorable for them. Soon he was swept back into the vehicle and he proceeded waving at the people on his way to Janata Maidan, the national executive committee meeting venue.
The Prime Minister landed in the city at about 3.30 pm and was received by the Union Ministers from the State Jual Oram and Dharmendra Pradhan, State BJP chief Basant Panda, BJP legislature party leader KV Singh Deo, former CM Giridhar Gomang, senior leaders Bijoy Mohapatra and Pratap Sarangi.
As his motorcade hit the road, the first stoppage was at the roundabout near the Biju Patnaik International Airport where the life-sized statute of the legendary Biju Patnaik stands tall. After he was given a ceremonial welcome by State BJP leaders, the PM garlanded the portraits of six legendary freedom fighters of the State.
He also did not disappoint the people who had gathered along the road braving the sweltering heat of 38.2 degree Celsius. He got down from the stage and went close to the people to greet them.
The next stoppage was the Raj Bhawan Square where the Mahila Morcha members of State BJP gave him a traditional reception. All along the way, Modi was mounted on the footboard of his Range Rover in his trademark style and waved at the crowd as the people went into a frenzy at the very sight of the People's Prime Minister.
Hours before he arrived, the 9.5 km stretch from Bhubaneswar Airport to the meeting venue was buzzing with activity. Public address systems blared 'Krushak Bandhu Modi' 'Garib Bandhu Modi' and party workers danced all the way.
Not many knew why he was in Bhubaneswar because the only thing mattered to them was the PM himself. "My group of musicians came all the way from Keonjhar. We just wanted to see him. We are not bothered why he is here," said Arakhit Munda, a 55-year-old tribal as he watched with awe Modi breaking the boundaries like only he does.