Ahmedabad: With 654 Covid-19 cases and 16 others of Omicron infections on Friday, Gujarat has registered 2,373 Covid cases in five days. Notwithstanding this and the government’s strict guidelines to the people, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and State BJP President CR Paatil organised a huge roadshow in Rajkot, the hometown of ousted CM Vijay Rupani.

Thousands thronged the street on motorcycles, cars and on foot as the chief minister and the BJP chief riding an open jeep passed through 3 km of key roads of the city, from Rajkot airport to Dharmendrasinhji College.

The roadshow was the culmination of the Gujarat Government’s weeklong good governance celebrations. They were welcomed by showers of flower petals and slogans. Vijay Rupani walked in late at the show, though he told reporters that he was in Gandhinagar and got delayed on the way.

Besides more than 50 cars carrying VIPs, at least 1,000 motorcyclists and several vintage cars were also part of the roadshow. The vehicles were flagged off by Patel and Paatil.

Several state ministers, including Harsh Sanghavi, Arjunsinh Chauhan, Brijesh Merja and Arvind Raiyani joined the roadshow, which passed through Race Course, Kisanpara Chowk and Yagnik Road before ending at the main venue at the College.

Hundreds of people from various social and cooperative organisations greeted the chief minister by showering flower petals, while cultural programmes were organised on 18 stages erected there. In all, the chief minister was welcomed at 67 spots during the roadshow.