Lok Sabha Elections 2024: PM Modi holds first-ever road show in Mumbai; Ajit Pawar skips event

Mumbai: Amid chants and cheers of 'Modi-Modi-Modi', 'fir-ek-baar…Modi-sarkaar', 'abki baar-charsau paar', Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a grand roadshow in the financial capital of Mumbai on Wednesday evening.

This was the first-ever road show by Modi in Mumbai.

Mumbai and the larger Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR) accounts for 10 Lok Sabha seats of the 48 constituencies in Maharashtra.

BJP supporters and Modi admirers were seen carrying posters, banners and placards Ram Mandir and the achievements of 10 years of the BJP-led government at the Centre.

The Spirit of Mumbai and the financial capital’s ethos were reflected in the road show.

Modi began his road show in Ghatkopar after garlanding a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the legendary Maratha warrior.

In the vehicle which traversed in a stretch of Mumbai, Modi was accompanied by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who is the Shiv Sena chief leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, a BJP stalwart.

However, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is the NCP President, was not present.

As part of the mission to get 400-plus seats, the BJP and its allies have set a goal of 45-plus seats from Maharashtra, which sends the highest chunk of Lok Sabha members after 80 of Uttar Pradesh.

Supporters during a roadshow of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for Lok Sabha polls, in Mumbai, Wednesday, May 15, 2024.

The Mumbai road show comes a day after a similar show of strength in Varanasi, from where Modi, who is seeking a third term in office, filed his nomination papers.

Thousands of people lined up along the Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, an arterial road of Mumbai, and waved at the PM, who responded to them with cheers and sloganeering.

A small group of women volunteers lead the roadshow walking ahead of the PM's vehicle.

People also waved at the PM from their windows, balconies and terraces.

Modi passed through the Mumbai North-East seat from where the BJP has fielded Mulund MLA Mihir Kotecha.

Ministers of the BJP-led Maha Yuti (NDA) government too were part of the show of strength.

While the police banned the use of drones, paragliders, balloons, kites and remote-controlled microlight aircraft in the city, there were also traffic diversions. Briefly, part of Metro services were also affected. “Due to security reasons, metro services will be suspended between Jagruti Nagar and Ghatkopar Metro Stations, from 1800 pm till further notice. Commuters are requested to plan their journey accordingly. Inconvenience is regretted,” the Mumbai Metro said.