Kochi: Thousands of BJP supporters on Tuesday attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi's grand roadshow with which he began his politically significant two-day Kerala visit.
The roadshow covered 1.25 km from the KPCC Junction to Government Guest House in an open vehicle, painted in saffron. BJP state president K Surendran accompanied him onboard the slow-moving car.
BJP supporters who had been waiting along the route, on both sides of the road, since afternoon, expressed their excitement by waving party flags and showering marigold petals. The crowd comprised of women and children.
Though the roadshow started nearly three hours late, there was no let-up in the enthusiasm of the crowd. Throughout the roadshow, Modi, sporting a saffron cap, kept waving at his supporters who shouted "Modi...Modi".
The roadshow passed by the Government Law College where earlier in the day a scuffle erupted after the Congress' student wing - Kerala Students Union (KSU) - raised a banner against Modi. Two KSU activists were detained by the police. The cops removed the banner.
The prime minister has packaged his two-day visit in such a manner that it would effectively be the beginning of the saffron party's Lok Sabha election campaign.
After the roadshow in Kochi, Modi will go to the neighbouring Thrissur district on Wednesday morning. There he will attend the wedding of actor and BJP leader Suresh Gopi's daughter at the famed Guruvayur Sri Krishna temple. Gopi, believed to be a favourite of the PM, will in all probability be the BJP's candidate in Thrissur.
Modi will also visit the Sree Ramaswamy Temple in Triprayar in Thrissur. The visit to the Lord Ram temple assumes significance as it comes ahead of the consecration ceremony at the Ayodhya Temple slated for January 22.
Earlier on Tuesday, PM Modi was received by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the Cochin International Airport. Union Minister of State V Muraleedharan and former Union minister Prakash Javadekar were present at the airport. The PM landed in Kochi at 6.50 pm in a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force. He flew to the Naval base Airport by 7 pm in a helicopter.
At the Naval Base airport, the PM was accorded a reception by a delegation led by State Industries Minister P Rajeeve. Chief Commanding Flag Officer Vice Admiral V Sreenivas, Kochi City Police Commissioner A Akbar, Additional State Protocol Officer M S Harikrishnan and various political leaders and representatives of different organisations received the prime minister.