Chennai: The State BJP has made comprehensive preparations to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a grand road show upon his arrival in Chennai at 4.30 pm on Friday to inaugurate the Khelo India Youth Games at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium.
Banners and posters have been prepared for display as the Prime Minister travels through the roads of Chennai after arriving at the INS Adyar by helicopter from the airport, and cultural events have been arranged along the route to the stadium in Periamet.
The state party unit has decided to gather crowds not only from Chennai but also from the neighboring districts of Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, and Kanchipuram to greet Modi from the roadside and to enjoy the cultural events at specific points.
BJP officials are eager to use the Prime Minister’s visit to motivate their workers and members, especially in light of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Modi will also be waving at the crowds along the route through Sivananda Salai, a section of Anna Salai, and Chennai Corporation, among other areas.
After inaugurating the Games, Modi will stay overnight at the Raj Bhavan before visiting the renowned Srirangam temple in Trichy. He is also expected to visit the holy town of Rameswaram before heading to Ayodhya to inaugurate the Ram temple on Monday.
On Sunday, he will board a flight from Madurai after concluding his engagements in Chennai and other places in the State to head to New Delhi, from where he will travel to Ayodhya.
The Khelo Games will be formally inaugurated around 6 pm on Friday in the presence of Governor R N Ravi and Chief Minister M K Stalin at the stadium, although the actual events will take place between January 23 and 31 at different venues in Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, and Trichy.
In addition to the 26 sporting events in which 5500 athletes under the age of 18 will compete for medals, there will also be 27 demonstration sports events, including the traditional game of Tamil Nadu Silambam.
While the participants will represent the 36 States and Union Territories of India, 1,600 coaches and trainers, 1,000 referees, and 1,200 volunteers will be part of the event.