Ujjain: The eleventh hour decision to hold a roadshow led to low turnout during Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s short visit to Ujjain on Monday afternoon. Nonetheless, local Congress leaders had made all arrangements for the roadshow.
More than two dozen welcome stages were erected enroute and innumerable cutouts, posters, banners etc were also put up. The administration deployed about 1,200 policemen but the special protection group (SPG) citing reason of shortage of time declined to clear the event.
However, Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath intervened and the roadshow was held. She reached Nagjhiri helipad around 1.20pm by helicopter from Indore along with CM Nath. After meeting the local party workers for about 10 minutes at the helipad, she headed for Mahakaleshwar temple to pay obeisance to the presiding deity.
She remained in the sanctum-sanctorum for about 30 minutes and performed panchamrut pujan amid the chanting of Vedic hymns. The CM, former Union minister Suresh Pachouri and AICC secretary and state incharge Sanjay Kapoor were also present.
Soon after emerging out of the temple from Mahakal dharmshala (back) side, she rode on an SUV. Within minutes her cavalcade left for the helipad. By then, thousands of party workers, local residents and onlookers assembled in front of the temple and on both sides of the roadshow route. Meanwhile, as she decided to move towards helipad, it was assumed the roadshow was cancelled.
According to sources, when her cavalcade was midway, the CM advised her if she wouldn’t participate in the roadshow it would not send a good message among people and party workers. At his behest, PG directed the AIG, SPG to divert the cavalcade to Mahakal Ghati via Begam Bagh road.
When PG’s cavalcade reached scheduled beginning point of the roadshow, most party workers had left. But, when the CM and Priyanka changed another SUV and rode on sun roof car, people rejoiced and gave her warm response. Her cavalcade moved through Topkhana, Daulatganj and Malipura where people present on both sides of roads showered roses on her.
From Dewasgate Square she came back on her seat adjacent to driver’s seat and reached Priyadarshini Chouraha via Chamunda Mata Mandir Chouraha and Tower Chowk where she garlanded the statue of her grandmother Indira Gandhi and left for the helipad to reach Ratlam.
