Ahmedabad, 18 November 2012

Gujarat Cheif Minister Shri Narendra Modi was to visit Mumbai today morning to pay last respect to Shiv Sena Supremo Shri Balasaheb Thackeray, but Modi’s visit to Mumbai was later declared canceled due to clash of Balasaheb’s funeral with the timing of Modi’s pre-announced and highly publicized live 3d rallies in four cities of Gujarat.

According to sources, Shri Modi was to reach Mumbai at 10.00 am to pay last respect ro Balasaheb at Sena Bhavan. Modi could visit Mumbai in the morning and could return back to Gandhinagar in the afternoon as per the original schedule, but due the crowd of around two million supporters on route, the funeral procession in Mumbai actually reached Sena Bhavan after 4.00 pm and Shivaji Park – where other leaders were present – even later.

If at all Modi had tried to reach Mumbai to attend the funeral at 6.00 pm, his four pre-announced live 3d rallies (also at 6.00 pm) on Sunday had to be canceled.

Modi could cancel any single ordinary rally, but canceling four highly publicized rallies could be very costly affair for the party. Moreover these were ‘holographic projection’ rallies and the technology cost was very high. It takes two days for preparations of such rally, its stage, its lighting, its satellite link etc and such rallies were therefore difficult to postpone or reorganize.

Modi may visit Mumbai in near future to meet Thackeray family.

In the past when Modi was scheduled to appear on live Google Hangout, and on the same day Surat leader Kashiram Rana passed away. Modi adjusted the timings to attend the funeral of Rana in Surat and also to attend the Google Hangout session in Gandhinagar. But this time, in Balasaheb Thackeray’s case the timing of funeral and rally was minute to minute same.