SHILLONG, Dec 17: On the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Shillong, the BJP on Saturday spruced up the city with his life-size posters, party flags and banners, put up along streets and pavements.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and several BJP leaders arrived in the city on Saturday.
The BJP also took out a bike rally. Party workers, riding some 600 two-wheelers, set off from Madan Iewrynghep, moved through the city before culminating the rally at the party’s state office at Bivar Road. It was flagged off by state BJP president Ernest Mawrie and Cabinet Minister Sanbor Shullai.
Mawrie said the rally was a celebration of the good work that has happened in Meghalaya under the schemes of Modi-led central government.
He said the BJP will highlight the work of the central government and impress upon the people that a BJP government in the state can double the pace of development.
Senior BJP leader AL Hek said the energy, which the party is driving into the state, will spread to all corners and the people will elect a BJP government in the ensuing Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, there was a public display of bonhomie among three friends – Chief Ministers Conrad K Sangma, N Biren Singh (Manipur) and Pema Khandu (Arunachal) — at the Police Bazar area on Saturday evening.
The trio walked to the area with security officials following them. As some youngsters were taking selfies, they waited for their turn to be clicked. Later, they struck poses.
Sharing a video, Sangma tweeted, “A stroll to Police Bazar, Khyndailad with my friends, HCM of Arunachal Pradesh, @PemaKhanduBJP Ji and HCM of Manipur @NBirenSingh Ji. So glad to have them in Shillong today.”
He also shared some photos and captioned them: “Moments with @NBirenSingh and @PemaKhanduBJP at Centre Point, Shillong with Police Bazar, Khyndailad at the background.”
Singh tweeted: “The evening I spent with Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri @SangmaConrad ji and Hon’ble Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Shri @PemaKhanduBJP ji at Shillong today shall remain memorable. I am also truly grateful for the hospitality of Shillong.”
At Raj Bhavan, Amit Shah planted a sapling of the auracacia tree in the presence of Governor BD Mishra. Shah is on a two-day visit to the state during which he will attend the 50th Golden Jubilee Celebration of the North Eastern Council (NEC).
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, his Assam counterpart, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Home Secretary Ajay K Bhalla and others were also present on the occasion
Chaotic scenes after arrival of VVIPs
Chaotic scenes were witnessed in Shillong on Saturday as a number of VVIPs arrived here to attend the golden jubilee celebration of the North Eastern Council (NEC).
The VVIPs included central ministers and Chief Ministers and Governors of different states of the Northeast. As soon as they arrived, the city witnessed massive traffic congestion.
Large convoys made their way through city areas. The traffic movement in those places was stopped well ahead of the arrival of the convoys.
In the evening, Union Home Minister Amit Shah was seen visiting the Raj Bhavan with a massive convoy of 70-80 vehicles. The movement of other vehicles was stopped to give way to the convoy. Some ambulances and VVIP vehicles were seen stuck on the road.
A similar traffic snarl was witnessed at the Police Bazar. The accommodation of some VVIPs has been arranged at Taj Vivanta in the area. Several ambulances were seen parked on the roadside.
PM’s itinerary
In Shillong, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is expected to arrive around 9.30 am, will be inaugurating the new campus of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong at Umsawli besides inaugurating the Shillong-Diengpasoh Road.
He will also be helming a meeting of the NEC at the state convention hall, following a programme that has been arranged to mark the council’s golden jubilee.
Members of the NEC, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, other central ministers and lawmakers of the Northeast, are scheduled to attend the programme.
The PM, on the occasion, will release a commemorative journal chronicling NEC’s contribution towards the development of the northeastern region over the last fifty years, a senior official said.
Modi will later address a public meeting at Polo Grounds here.
The official said that around 10,000 people are expected to attend the public meeting.
The venue where the PM is set to address the rally has been declared a ‘no-drone flying zone’, he said.
The PM will also inaugurate the Spawn Laboratory at Mushroom Development Centre in the state. The laboratory is expected to enhance mushroom spawn production and also provide skill training to farmers and entrepreneurs.
He wil also inaugurate the Integrated Beekeeping Development Centre to improve the livelihood of beekeeping farmers through capacity building and technology upgradation.
Moreover, he will inaugurate 21 Hindi libraries in Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura and Assam.
The PM will lay the foundation stone of six road projects across the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, besides laying the foundation stone of the Integrated Hospitality and Convention Centre at Tura and Shillong Technology Park Phase-II.
