Puri, May 20: The Bada Danda (Grand Road) in the pilgrim city of Puri turned saffron and a Rath Yatra-like scene was illusioned as Prime Minister Narendra Modi waved to thousands of his supporters and BJP workers during a roadshow this morning.

After reaching Puri this morning, the Prime Minister first visited the Shreemandir and paid obeisance to Lord Jagannath and His siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. After spending about 30 minutes in the Shreemandir, the Prime Minister held a roadshow from Marichikote to Medical Chhak on the grand road. The 1.5-km stretch wore saffron with BJP flags and caps seen all around.

The Prime Minister moved in a flower-decked special open-roof vehicle through the Grand Road. He was greeted with the beating of drums, ghants and other traditional musical instruments and folk dances, including Ghoda Nacha (House Dance).

Shouting of slogans "Modi, Modi', 'Bande Bharat Mata' and 'BJP Jindabad' was added as a musical tone to the slow-moving roadshow. The popularity of the Prime Minister was reflected in the presence of a mass gathering along the two sides of the barricaded Grand Road.

Puri Lok Sabha MP candidate Sambit Patra and BJP State president moved along with the Prime Minister, waiving cutouts of lotus, the symbol of the BJP.

Seven BJP MLA candidates- Jayant Sarangi (Puri), Om Prakash Mishra (Satyabadi), Prithviraj Harichandan (Chilika), Upasana Mohapatra (Brahmagiri), Ashrit Patnaik (Pipili), Pratusha Rajeswari Singh (Nayagarh) and Surama Padhi (Ranapur)- in the poll fray under the Puri Lok Sabha constituency greeted the Prime Minister from seven platforms erected at different places along the Grand Road.

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