Mangaluru, Feb 10 (IANS): The roadshow of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the communally sensitive Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka on Saturday has been cancelled owing to security reasons, a senior BJP leader said.

Shah, who will be reaching Karnataka on Saturday morning from Kerala, will participate in various programmes and address a public gathering in Puttur town.

About 3,500 police personnel have been deputed for the security of Amit Shah, during his visit to the district, which had witnessed revenge killings in the recent past. The disturbing development stirred a debate at the national level.

The cancelled roadshow was to be held at Mangaluru city in the evening.

Since Shah is reaching the city late after participating in the programmes in Puttur, the roadshow has been cancelled owing to security risks, according to Sudarshan Moodbidri, BJP district president.

Amit Shah is expected to wave at the party workers near Kenjaru briefly and chair the core committee meeting.

Party leaders from six districts will participate in the core committee meeting, which will be held in the Sridevi College of Kenjaru.

The preparations are in full swing in the ruling BJP camp to welcome Amit Shah for his first visit to the region on February 11 ahead of Assembly elections.

Amit Shah is visiting Puttur town of Dakshina Kannada district to take part in golden jubilee celebrations of the Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Co-operative Limited (Campco).

He will also inaugurate Bharat Mata Mandir built by Dharmashree Pratisthana. Bharat Mata Mandir has been built to bring a sense of patriotism. This is the only temple of Bharat Mata after one in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.

The veteran party leader will garland the statue of Bharat Mata and also pay a floral tribute to Amar Jawan statue. He will visit Hanumagiri temple and pay obeisance to the deities.