PM takes part in roadshow in Vizag, Botcha plays down importance of meet with Pawan Kalyan

Visakhapatnam Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a one and half km long roadshow here immediately after his arrival from Madurai on Friday evening.

Modi, who was accorded a rousing reception with "PM welcome to AP" placards by his supporters, landed at INS Dega 45 minutes behind schedule. On arrival he was received by Governor Biswa Bhushan Harichandan, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and several others.

Jana Sena president and actor Pawan Kalyan earlier arrived to meet Modi at Chola suite of Eastern Naval Command. Jana Sena is an ally of BJP had expressed willingness to work with TDP to avoid division in anti-YSRCP.

Meanwhile, State Education Minister Botcha Satyanarayana said meeting politicians is common and one should not see with a binocular the significance of Modi-Pawan Kalyan meeting.

The Prime Minister will address a public meeting after laying stone/dedicating to the nation nine Centrally-funded projects worth over Rs.15,000 crore at Andhra University Engineering College grounds on Saturday.

There is demand in several quarters for an announcement by Modi for merger of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) and Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), opposing trifurcation of State Capital and a date to operationalise the South Coast Railway (SCoR) Zone with headquarters at Visakhapatnam.

Tension gripped industrial area of Kurmannapalem after arrest of several employees of RINL, the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, who staged a protest seeking a specific declaration by PM on retaining RINL in public sector.