By Archana Sharma
Jaipur, Jan 31 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the much-awaited Delhi-Mumbai Expressway on February 12.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari informed on his Twitter about the change in plan and said, "Change in the date Now Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji will inaugurate the Sohna-Dausa stretch of the #Delhi_Mumbai_Expressway on 12th February." In his earlier tweet, he had said that the express highway will be inaugurated on February 4.
"Going to be inaugurated by PM Shri @narendramodi Ji on 4th Feb, the Sohna-Dausa stretch of the #Delhi_Mumbai_Expressway will facilitate commuters to reach Jaipur from Delhi in two hours," he had said.
Gadkari, however, did not share any further details.
Local BJP sources said that there has been a change in the date with reference to PM Modi's plan as there are fair chances that he might visit Dausa on February 12 to inaugurate the express highway which earlier were limited to the virtual meeting.
However, the last minute change comes as a part of strategy to woo local voters from different categories. Initially, he visited Mangarh keeping tribal voters in mind, then he visited Malaseri Dungri in Bhilwara keeping Gujjars in mind and this time, his visit to Dausa is targeted for the Meena community. Earlier, tribals, Gujjars and Meena were considered to be Congress' vote bank which the BJP is now eyeing keeping forthcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in mind, said sources.
Gujjars and Meenas make a strong vote bank in East Rajasthan. Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Kirodi Lal Meena presently sitting on dharna is demanding a CBI probe in the paper leak case. He is considered to be a pivotal leader in eastern rajasthan. This dharna is reportedly exposing party factionism as former ministers and CM Raje and her team are extending support to him but not the party organisation. So Modi's visit might help Kirodi Lal Meena to dissolve the protest and hence comes the change in plan, confirmed the officials.
This visit, if it happens, can be described as a balancing act to make Gujjars and Meenas happy. Also this can be ascribed as a political visit as well keeping in mind Rajasthan's Assembly polls and Kirodi's ongoing dharna.