Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in the city by a special flight at HAL airport on Thursday to participate in the BJP national office-bearers’ and executive meetings.
During his two-day stay, he will address a public meeting at National?College Grounds in Basavanagudi at 5 pm on April 3. It will be the fifth public rally to be addressed by Modi in Bengaluru after he was declared the prime ministerial candidate.
Party national president Amit Shah, former chief ministers B S Yeddyurappa, D V Sadananda Gowda, Jagadish Shettar, Union Minister Ananth Kumar, K S Eshwarappa and R Ashoka will be sharing the dais with Modi. Modi will land at HAL airport at 2.30 pm and will be received by Governor Vajubhai Vala and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah among others. BJP workers will be present outside the airport to greet the prime minister.
Official sources said Modi will address the national executive on April 4. The prime minister will leave for New Delhi the same day at 2.30 pm. During his stay, Modi will interact with BJP MPs and legislators.
The BJP national executive meeting is expected to bolster the confidence of the party workers in the State.
Senior leaders will take part in the conclave. “The meeting will help strengthen the party and come back to power in the State,” State BJP president Pralhad Joshi told reporters on Wednesday.
It will help the party prepare for BBMP polls. Former deputy chief minister R Ashoka has been given the responsibility of organising the rally. Besides, elections will be held to gram panchayats (GPs) in June this year in the State. Though GP polls are not fought on party symbols, they are crucial for parties to strengthen their base.
Joshi said one of the reasons for holding the national executive in Bengaluru was to strengthen the party in South India. “The party has already grown in strength in Karnataka. We should work towards making our presence felt strongly in other South Indian states,” he said. Former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa said the party had an opportunity to come back to power in Karnataka. Hence, the leaders have decided to hold the national executive in Bengaluru.
