Mysore/Mysuru: Electioneering has picked up pace and campaigning has reached a crescendo for the crucial polls in Karnataka, and political parties are going full steam into the campaign.

The BJP’s chief vote garner and the real trump card Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a road show today at 5.45 pm in the heart of Mysuru city from the Gun House Circle to the Millennium Circle (LIC Circle).

The road show is likely to be a replica of a mini Dasara procession showcasing the tradition and culture of the Mysuru region. With PM Modi plunging into the heat and dust of rallies and road shows, the BJP has intensified its campaign blitzkrieg.

The City Police have already banned traffic from 12 noon till 8 pm along the route with alternative routes and also arrangements for parking.

The road show will proceed on Dasara Jumboo Savari route (Raja Marga). But while the Dasara procession begins from Mysore Palace North Gate, the road show will begin near Gun House at the Palace South Gate and proceeds via Sanskrit Patashala, Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Office, City Bus Stand, K.R. Circle, Sayyaji Rao Road, Ayurveda College Circle, Old RMC Yard, Bamboo Bazaar, Moulana Abul Kalam Circle and concludes at LIC Circle.

Painted saffron

The 5-km route is already decked up and painted saffron with cutouts, banners, flags, saffron clothes, PM’s imagery reflecting his childhood and nation-building activities showcased along the route. Five welcome arches have been erected around the Gun House Circle near the Circle entrance,  Sanskrit Patashala, MCC Office, K.R. Hospital Circle and Old RMC.

These welcome arches too are sporting saffron colour and have cut-outs of PM Modi in a standing posture, cut-outs of Shivaji and Maharana Pratap have also been placed near the welcome arches. A cut-out of Modi along with his mother has been placed at Gun House Circle.

To facilitate senior citizens to watch the road show, a stage has been erected near Chikka Gadiyara where they will be seated. Five mini stages have been set up with red carpets along the procession route for photographers and videographers to do their job from vantage points. An elevated stage has been set up near Bamboo Bazaar by the State Bank of India for its staff to watch the road show, away from the crowd.

Covering 3 city segments

The 5-km road show has been designed in such a way that it will cover all three Assembly segments in Mysuru that comes under the Mysuru city limits. While the starting point of the mega political spectacle is Gun House Circle which is located inside Krishnaraja Constituency, the road show will pass through K.R. Circle and Ayurveda College Circle that come under the Chamaraja Constituency.

The rally will culminate at Millennium Circle after passing through Moulana Abul Kalam Azad Circle (Highway Circle) which comes under Narasimharaja Constituency. Notably, both the Krishnaraja and Chamaraja Constituencies are held by the BJP while the Narasimharaja Constituency is held by Congress.

Traditional welcome to PM

As the PM’s cavalcade arrives at the Gun House Circle from the Oval Grounds, the VVIP will be traditionally welcomed with ‘poorna kumbha’ and over 30 folk art cultural troupes, including 100-member team of Nadaswara will perform along with Bharathanatyam troupes. 

The PM will be presented with a tray containing ‘Mysore veelyedele’ (betel leaves) and other specialities of Mysuru including Mysore Pak, Nanjangud Rasabale, Mysore Silk and Mysore Agarbathi to increase their brand value and to globally promote ‘Brand Mysore’.

Tonnes of flowers, especially saffron-coloured ones, have been specially ordered from the flower markets of Mysuru and surrounding areas and as in the earlier road shows, petals will be showered on the PM’s open vehicle and along the route he is scheduled to walk.

The entire stretch of his road show of over 5 km will be designed with arches portraying the concept of ‘Man of Vision-Modi Nadedu Banda Daari’, depicting PM Modi’s life and contributions. Over 1 lakh people are expected to witness the roadshow.