SAMBALPUR : Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to offer prayers at the newly-redeveloped Samaleswari temple during his visit to Sambalpur on February 3.
Addressing mediapersons here on Monday, state general secretary of BJP Simanchal Khatei said the party’s district unit has proposed for a visit of the PM to the Samaleswari temple where he will meet the core members and servitors of the shrine besides a few spiritual leaders of Mahima Dharma. A proposal has been sent to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in this regard.
PM Modi is scheduled to visit Sambalpur to inaugurate the permanent campus of Indian Institute of Management-Sambalpur (IIM-S) at Basantpur on February 3.
Sharing the PM’s tentative itinerary, Khatei said Modi will arrive at Jharsuguda and reach IIM-S for the inaugural function scheduled at 2 pm. The event is likely to be attended by around 4,000 people including students, staff and teachers of IIM-S, district officials and representatives of several industrial houses in the region. During the event, Modi will also inaugurate and lay foundation stones of several new projects.
Later, the PM is scheduled to address a huge public meeting near Remed between 3 pm and 4:30 pm. The meeting will be attended by around 1.5 lakh people from Sambalpur, Bargarh, Sundargarh, Dhenkanal, Balangir and Kalahandi districts.
A proposal has also been sent to the PMO requesting a meeting of the prime minister with Padma awardees of the region. Some leaders from the Centre and Union Ministers from Odisha are likely to accompany Modi during his visit.
The PM’s visit to Sambalpur holds significance as western Odisha region is the bastion of the BJP. Five of the eight Lok Sabha members of the party are from western Odisha.
Besides, speculations are rife that Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will be the BJP nominee from Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat which is currently represented by Nitesh Gang Deb. Modi’s visit will have a positive impact on BJP’s prospects in the region, especially Sambalpur.