VISAKHAPATNAM: The Andhra University Engineering College grounds witnessed a sea of humanity as thousands of people gathered for the public meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday. The meeting was a grand success with a record turnout of about two lakh people.
All seats at the venue were occupied even before the arrival of the PM. The infrastructure projects launched and inaugurated by Modi at the meeting will further transform the facet of Vizag city.
The meeting which began as per schedule at 10.15 am, concluded at 11.30 am. Both the PM and the CM were lustily cheered on their arrival at the venue. Even during their speeches, there were slogans in support of the two leaders. There were more women than men at the public meeting and most of them came from different areas of the city and also from combined erstwhile districts of North Andhra. They reached the venue in different modes of transport, including buses, autos, cars and bikes.
The PM, the CM, Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were seated on the dais. Modi, who began his speech in Telugu greeting the people, highlighted the importance of Vizag several times much to the delight of the crowd. Jagan was cheered when he quoted the verses of balladeer Vangapandu and legendary poets Sri Sri and Gurazada.
Elaborate arrangements were made in every enclosure to ensure availability of drinking water, LED TV screens beaming the programme live, and air coolers. People were given food packets at the end of the meeting. A large number of women were seen waiting outside the engineering college campus for the vehicles they were brought to the venue to go home after the meeting.
Varalakshmi from Anakapalle said she wanted to attend the meeting because the government was implementing several welfare schemes more effectively and transparently for the benefit of various sections of people.
Kartik, a techie, said it was great moment for the people of Visakhapatnam as two top leaders shared the dais. He said he wanted to listen to the PM’s speech as he brought boons for Uttarandhra.