The administration in Rajasthan is gearing up for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s day-long visit to the state on Saturday and UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s visit the day after.
Congress leaders were active mobilising the masses for the PM’s programme in poll-bound Rajasthan with Union corporate affairs minister Sachin Pilot meeting party functionaries to ensure the success of the visits and chief minister Ashok Gehlot going to the sites where functions are being organised. The Congress is highlighting the upcoming air project as a big achievement for the Ajmer region.
Dr Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation stone for the next phase of the Metro rail project in Jaipur and also for the upcoming airport in Ajmer on Saturday while Mrs Gandhi will do so for an oil refinery in Barmer.
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot reviewed the preparedness for the PM’ visit and discussed the matter with officers and party leaders. According to sources, Mr Singh will lay the foundation stone for the second phase of the Metro rail project on Saturday between Chandpole to Bari Chaupar in the walled city of Jaipur. Earlier, the CM had flagged off a trial run of the Metro rail. The next phase of the Metro rail is to be underground.
Since Assembly elections are round the corner in the state, the Congress government has been highlighting such projects for political mileage. Congress MP from Jaipur Mahesh Joshi, party MP from Jaipur (Rural) Lalchand Kataria and MLA Pratap Singh Khachriawas have been quite active in connection with the function. “The Metro becomes a key attraction not only for city dwellers but also for people from across the state,” said a party leader.
“We will project it as a star project to garner support from the people during the election,” said a Congress leader.
“When the trial run began, a sea of humanity gathered to witness the show,” said another party leader. The upcoming airport for Ajmer has been named Kishangarh Airport. Though there was a demand that the airport be named after Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, the authorities decided to name it after the marble town of Kishangarh.