Modi’s Mangaluru Rally Canceled, Roadshow Scheduled Instead

Mangaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public rally scheduled on April 14 in Mangaluru has been canceled. Instead, he will now participate in the 3 km long roadshow in the City.

Party leaders had made preparations for Modi’s rally at the Goldfinch City grounds on Sunday. He was scheduled to fly from Bengaluru and then address the rally in Mangaluru. However, there has been a change in the schedule on Wednesday. According to the latest itinerary, Modi will address the rally in Mysuru at 4 pm and then fly down to Mangaluru and participate in the roadshow at 6 pm.

The party leaders are making preparations to make this event a success.

"The roadshow route spans from Brahmashree Narayana Guru Circle to Hampankatta," Uday Kumar Shetty, BJP's Mangaluru Vibhag Prabhari told Deccan Chronicle.

Shetty expressed confidence in the overwhelming public support for Modi's presence in the roadshow, citing its potential to invigorate the party's standing in the Coastal belt.

"People are eager to catch a glimpse of Modi and engage in the roadshow. This event is expected to garner significant momentum, bolstering the party's influence in the region," he affirmed.

Modi has long been the cornerstone campaigner for the BJP, holding rallies during both parliamentary and assembly elections in coastal districts. Even during his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat during the 2014 general elections, Modi addressed rallies here. However, this marks the first time a mega roadshow is hosted in Mangaluru city instead of a rally.

Dakshina Kannada, formerly known as the Mangaluru constituency (before the delimitation when it had included parts of Udupi and Kodagu districts), has witnessed a notable political shift over the past three and a half decades, transitioning from a Congress stronghold to a BJP bastion since 1991.

Dhananjay Kumar secured victory in the Mangaluru constituency four times, followed by Sadananda Gowda's triumph. Nalin Kumar Kateel won Dakshina Kannada three consecutive times.