BENGALURU: The state BJP has changed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow schedule in Bengaluru. The party first decided to hold the roadshow on Saturday. It later decided to hold the roadshow on Saturday and Sunday. It again made changes in the schedule, keeping in mind the conduct of NEET on Sunday.
As per the changed schedule, the major part of the roadshow will be completed on Saturday.
BJP state election coordination committee convenor and Union minister Shobha Karandlaje told reporters on Friday that changes have been made to avoid inconvenience to people. In view of NEET on Sunday afternoon, the roadshow will end early. Modi has directed the state BJP leaders not to cause inconvenience to students. Students can show their NEET hall tickets and the police will drop them at their examination centres, she said.
According to the minister, on Saturday, the PM will start his roadshow at Someshwar Bhavan near RBI Grounds at 10 am and reach Sankey Road by 1.30 pm, covering 26.5 km. On Sunday, the PM’s roadshow will begin from near the Kempegowda statue at Thippasandra and end at Trinity Circle, which is around 8 km.
“If the roadshow is held in a single day, it will cause inconvenience to the people. Hence, it has been decided to hold it for two days,” she said. Earlier, the party planned to hold the roadshow on Saturday, covering 36 km in 17 Assembly constituencies. This was opposed by many as it would cause traffic jams.
Students likely to be affected
Despite multiple rescheduling efforts undertaken by the BJP for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow in Bengaluru, many students who are appearing for NEET and Chartered Accountant exams may still be affected.
The majority of the rally will now take place on Saturday and the rest will be wrapped up by 11.30 am, before NEET begins. While NEET is scheduled for Sunday, the Chartered Accountant exams are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Various student organisations have criticised the Election Commission of India (ECI) for not taking into account the examinations when permitting the rallies. In Bengaluru, over 4,000 students will appear for the CA exams in around 20 centres, in addition to lakhs of students for NEET.
According to the Bengaluru branch of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), many student centres are located on the stretch where the rally is to take place.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka Private School Managements, Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff Coordination Committee (KPMTCC) on Friday sent a complaint to the Chief Election Commissioner, stating that many students will face hardships due to the roadshow.
Stay away from these roads
The city police have made elaborate security arrangements across the city, especially on roads where PM Narendra Modi will be holding the roadshow. More than 5,000 policemen have been deployed while 2,500 traffic policemen will be on the ground to ensure that traffic is not affected.
The traffic police have issued an advisory requesting the public to avoid the following roads from 8 am to 1 pm on Saturday: Raj Bhavan Road, Ramana Maharshi Road, Mehkri Circle, RBI Layout, JP Nagar, Rose Garden, JP Nagar 15th cross, 24th Main, 9th Cross, Sirsi Circle, JJ Nagar, Binny Mill Road, Shalini Ground Area, South End Circle, Armugam Circle, Bull Temple Road, Ramakrishna Ashrama, Uma Theatre, TR Mill, Chamrajpet Main Road, Balekayi Mandi, KP Agrahara, Magadi Main Road, Cholurpalya, MC Circle, West of Chord Road, MC Layout, Nagarabavi Road, BGS Ground, Havanur Junction, 8th and 15th Main Basaveshwara Nagar, Shankara Mutt Junction, Modi Hospital Road, Navarang Junction, MKK Road, Malleshwaram Circle, Sampige Road and Sankey Road.