PM Modi's Mission South: To address rallies in Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka today

In the run-up to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a packed Sunday with Mission South in mind. PM Modi will address public rallies in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and inaugurate a slew of projects. His first stop would be at Guntur in Andhra Pradesh at 11:30 am. He will then head to address a public gathering in the Perumanallur village in Tamil Nadu's Tiruppur at 3:30 pm. In the evening, the prime minister will hold a rally in Karnataka's Raichur at 06:30. 

The rally in Andhra Pradesh assumes significance as it will be the first after the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) pulled out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu has voiced his criticisms for the prime minister vociferously in the recent past and this time around, the PM is expected to come down heavily on him.

On Saturday, demonstrations were held at various places in Andhra Pradesh with protesters raising 'Modi go back' slogans. Protests were staged in 13 districts of the state by leaders and workers of TDP, the Congress, Left parties, student groups and mass organisations fighting for the special category status for Andhra Pradesh. Carrying black flags, they took out rallies and staged sit-ins at different places. Some could also be seen shirtless.

In Tamil Nadu, Pm Modi will lay the foundation stone of the 100-bed Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) health facility at Tiruppur, a new integrated building at Trichy Airport and modernisation of the Chennai airport. PM Modi will also dedicate to the nation, the 470-bed ESIC Hospital and the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd's Ennore Coastal Terminal. He will also inaugurate crude oil pipeline from Chennai Port to Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited's (CPCL) Manali Refinery. In addition, passenger service on the 10-km section of the Chennai Metro Rail -- AG-DMS Metro station to Washermenpet Metro station -- will also be inaugurated by the prime minister.

Former Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader R Ashoka, who is in charge of the prime minister’s rallies in Karnataka, said around 2 lakh people from Dharwad, Belagavi, Uttara Kannada and surrounding areas are expected to attend Sunday’s rally. Putting the Bharatiya Janata Party into election mode, the PM is also expected to continue his tirade against the Congress-Janata Dal(Secular) coalition government in the state.