Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday travelled in a seaplane from Sabarmati river to Dharoi dam to visit the Ambaji temple in north Gujarat on the last day of campaigning for the second phase assembly polls in the State. The voting for 93 assembly seats in the second phase will be held on Thursday in Central and North Gujarat regions.
This is the first-ever flight by such a craft in the country.
After the administration denied permission to hold road show on the last day of campaigning in Ahmedabad, PM Modi decided to fly in seaplane from Ahmedabad in a bid to bring in novelty in the campaign.
PM Modi boarded the single-engine seaplane from near the Sardar Bridge connecting the old city with Ahmedabad West to Dharoi Dam in north Gujarat. A special jetty was constructed to facilitate the Prime Minister's boarding from the river, where hundreds of citizens gathered to take a glimpse of the seaplane’s taking off.
The ruling BJP said it was “the first-ever flight by a seaplane in the country.” However, the similar seaplane service is apparently available in Kerala and Andaman Islands.
“PM used this seaplane to take a historic flight from Sabarmati river front to Dharoi dam,” Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said.
From landing at Dharoi Dam, PM reached the temple town Ambaji by road and on reaching there, he greeted the people, who had gathered on the roadsides leading to the shrine in large numbers to have a glimpse of the prime minister, and waved at them.
At the temple, Modi performed 'puja' and offered prayers.
‘Nothing to do with elections’
Speaking about PM Modi’s seaplane ride, Union Minister for Shipping Nitin Gadkari said, “Today is a historic day as PM travelled in a seaplane. It will be a big revolution in the transport sector as India has huge potential in waterways transport.”
“As per rules and regulations, PM can use any transport facility, it has nothing to do with Gujarat election. If Rahul Gandhi wants he can also use it, no politics in it,” Gadkari added, dismissing suggestions that PM’s seaplane ride was a “stunt” to entice voters in Gujarat ahead of voting in the second phase in two provinces: North and Central Gujarat.