New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Punjab on February 1 and pay obeisance at Dera Ballan in Jalandhar on the occasion of Ravidas Jayanti. The visit will take place after the presentation of the Union Budget in Parliament.
Dera Ballan head Sant Niranjan Das had met the Prime Minister recently, and the Centre announced the Padma Shri award for him just two days ago. The dera has a significant following in the Doaba region, giving the visit both religious and political significance.
Political observers see Modi’s Punjab visit as important in the run-up to the state assembly elections, which are not far away. Nearly 34% of Punjab’s population belongs to Scheduled Castes, and the Bharatiya Janata Party is preparing to contest the elections independently in the state.
Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu confirmed that the Prime Minister is expected to reach Dera Ballan around 4 pm on February 1, shortly after the Union Budget is presented.
