MYSURU: All preparations have been made and the stage is set to ensure that the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the city on Sunday is hassle-free. The prime minister, who will arrive by a special flight at Mysuru Airport in Mandakalli, will stay overnight in Mysuru to take part in various programmes scheduled for the following day.
On Monday, the prime minister will first formerly dedicate the electrified Mysuru-Bengaluru railway line to the nation, and then flag off Palace Queen Humsafar Express (Mysuru-Udaipur, in Rajasthan) at 3 pm. He will later participate in a BJP public meeting at the Maharaja ground.
Sources told The Express that it was “eventually” decided to accommodate the prime minister in Radisson Blu Plaza on M G Road. Officers of the special protection group (SPG) subsequently did a recce of the area on Saturday. As a precautionary measure, the hotel authorities were asked to stop taking new bookings from the day.
Sleuths drawn from different stations of the city have been deputed at the hotel, and barricades set up along the paths the convoy of the prime minister, who is entitled to elite security, will take. The movement of stray animals, like dogs, horses and cattle near the hotel was also being kept in check.
Lalita Mahal Palace loses out due to wedding
Lalita Mahal Palace was first considered to host the prime minister. But that wasn’t to be because of a prior booking – for a wedding – at the heritage hotel. It was then that Radisson Blu Plaza and the Infosys campus at Hootagalli were considered, and SPG zeroed in on the former.
Police Commissioner Dr A S Subramanyeshwar Rao said elaborate security arrangements had been made for the prime minister’s visit, but refused to divulge his place of accommodation as it a “confidential matter”.
‘Amit Shah should speak truth during his visit to coast’
Udupi: KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao on Saturday said BJP national president Amit Shah should speak the truth about the development work carried out by the Congress government during his visit to the coastal districts Speaking to reporters, he said Shah has visited the state three to four times and they have heard what he spoke.
“At least this time he should speak truth,” he said. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah of using the Income Tax Department to target the opposition leaders. On BJP criticising Rahul’s temple visits during his recent Hyderebad-Karnataka visit, he shot back asking whether the BJP had taken contract of Hindu religion? Anyone can visit the temple or mosque. Visiting temples, churches or mosques is the culture of the Congress. Rao asked why Amit Shah is visiting only temples during his visit to the coastal districts.