Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive in Odisha and Kerala on Tuesday on brief visits to inaugurate various development projects and also address BJP rallies as the party prepares for Lok Sabha polls. The BJP has heightened efforts to make inroads in both states in recent years.
Modi is first scheduled to visit Odisha, where he will arrive in the morning. Modi will be visiting Balangir district in Western Odisha, where he will dedicate a multi-modal logistics park (MMLP) in Jharsuguda and a new railway line between Balangir and Bichupali around 10am. Modi is then scheduled to address a rally in Balangir's Patharchepa ground by 11am.
Interestingly, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will not be attending Modi's official programmes as he has alternate events scheduled. Patnaik is scheduled to address a farmers' meeting during the time of Modi's visit. A minister in the state government is expected to be deputed to attend Modi's official programme. During an earlier visit of Modi to Baripada on January 5, Patnaik was absent. Patnaik's decision to abstain from attending Modi's programmes has given risen to speculation he wants to appear equidistant from both the BJP and Congress.
Modi will arrive in Thiruvananthapuram after his visit to Odisha. He is scheduled to fly by helicopter to Kollam district after 5pm to inaugurate the Kollam bypass, built at a cost of nearly Rs 352 crore. The bypass is 13km long and is expected to reduce travel time between Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is expected to be present at the event.
Modi is then scheduled to address a rally of BJP workers in Kollam. BJP workers from Mavelikara, Kollam and Alappuzha are expected to attend the rally.
Later in the evening, Modi is scheduled to pray at the revered Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram. Modi's visit comes in the wake of months of protest by the BJP and groups affiliated to the RSS against the Supreme Court decision on allowing entry of women of all ages to the Sabarimala temple.