It was a sea of saffron with Bharatiya Janata Party flags, Narendra Modi masks, baskets of marigold petals thrown in the air, orange balloons, saffron flags strung the length of the road from RTC Crossroad to Narayanaguda as Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit the final stretch of electioneering in the State. The State goes to polls on November 30. All the lanes and bylanes that meet the arterial road were closed for traffic between 1 p.m. onwards as double barricades were set up to create the corridor for the roadshow. The Narayanaguda and Chikkadpally Metro stations were closed and passengers were not allowed to board or de-board from the trains between 5 and 6 p.m. at these stations.
Ashok Patel and his group of 35 people reached the Chikaddpally Metro Station by 2.30 p.m. They found a space to sit and watch the road show of Narendra Modi that was scheduled for 4 p.m. “We have come to see him. We will vote for him,” said Mr. Patel, a businessman from L.B Nagar who planned to vote for the BJP candidate from Maheshwaram.
If Mr Patel and his friends came from LB Nagar, Ravi Teja came alone from Kukatpally to the roadshow. “There was supposed to be a roadshow in Kukatpally also but it was scrapped. That’s why I came here. Modi is the saviour of the country. Only he can save this country,” said Mr. Teja, who is a priest and solemnises weddings and other auspicious events.
As shops stayed shuttered, some women dragged plastic chairs to wait the arrival of the Prime Minster. A bunch of party workers hired drummers and danced to the teen-maar beat while others played Hindi songs. Others brought political slogans and banners targeting the opposition parties.
The cavalcade finally moved slowly into view as the excitement of the people waiting to see Mr. Modi reached a crescendo. It was all over in 15 minutes but motorists had to bear the brunt of traffic gridlocks till 9.30 p.m. as other politicians zipped around the city for creating a last-minute impression on electors.
