KOCHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi stole the twilight of the city today. People thronged to catch a glimpse of Narendra Modi who held a roadshow in the evening. They greeted the Prime Minister with "Modi... Modi.." chants as he greeted his supporters from a saffron-coloured vehicle decorated with flowers. Applause and a shower of flowers followed. People were crowding inside the barricade from KPCC Junction to Ernakulam Guest House hours earlier itself.

The Prime Minister reached the Nedumbassery airport on a special flight of the Air Force at 6:50 pm later than scheduled. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Governor Arif Muhammad Khan, Mayor M Anilkumar, Union Minister V Muralidharan, Prakash Javadekar MP, Chief Secretary Dr V Venu, State Police Chief Sheikh Darvesh Saheb, District Collector NSK Umesh, Ernakulam Rural District Police Chief Vaibhav Saxena, BJP representatives etc. received the Prime Minister. He then left for Kochi in a Navy helicopter and landed at the Naval Airport at 7:14 pm.

When the Prime Minister arrived at KPCC Junction for the road show at 7:40 pm, escorted by security vehicles, the excitement of the activists was palpable. The roadshow started at 7:45 pm. BJP state president K Surendran also boarded the vehicle with Modi. Modiji slowly proceeded through the hospital road amidst shouts, noises and rain of flowers. The workers who waited for more than five hours shouted Modi's name. Slogans were also raised. About half a lakh people lined up from four districts of Central Kerala. The 1.3 km long road show concluded at Ernakulam Guest House at 8:10 pm.

With the Lok Sabha elections around the corner, the roadshow became a venue for BJP's show of strength. This is Modi's second roadshow in Kochi.

PM in Guruvayur tomorrow

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for Guruvayur by helicopter from Kochi Naval Airport at 6 am tomorrow. After temple darshan, Suresh Gopi's daughter's wedding and Triprayar temple darshan, Narendra Modi will return to Kochi Naval Airport. Kochi Shipyard's ship repair centre and second drydock will be inaugurated at Wellington Island at 12 noon. He will also inaugurate the LPG import terminal of the Indian Oil Corporation at Puthuvype from there. Then he will reach Marine Drive by car and participate in the meeting of BJP Shakti Kendra workers in charge of booth-level elections.

He will reach Nedumbassery by helicopter from Naval Airport and return to Delhi by special flight.