Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday embarked on a two-day tour of three poll-bound states including Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Telangana, along with Uttar Pradesh. He began his journey in Raipur, where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of eight projects worth Rs 7,600 crore.

PM Modi was received and welcomed in Raipur by Chhattisgarh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, former CM and BJP VP Raman Singh, and other dignitaries. Baghel honoured the prime minister and gifted him a shawl, basket of millets and memento made by state artisans in Raipur. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also joined the prime minister.

While in Raipur, Modi addressed Vijay Sankalp Maharally as Chhattisgarh gears up for Assembly elections this year. Speaking on the upcoming election battle, PM Modi said that the ruling Congress party had insulted the tribals in Chhattisgarh and engaged in several scams including liquor when they had allegedly promised a liquor ban. The palm symbol of the Congress is "snatching the rights" of people and forming a wall-like "panja" to Chhattisgarh's development, Modi said, slamming the ruling government.

During the event, the PM dedicated the four-laning of the 33-km-long Raipur-Kodebod section of National Highway 30 and the 53-km-long four-lane Bilaspur-Pathrapali stretch of NH-130 to the nation. He laid the foundation stone for five National Highway projects worth around Rs 6,400 crore.

The prime minister dedicated a bottling plant of the Indian Oil Corporation with a capacity of 60,000 metric tons per annum in Korba, constructed at a cost of over Rs 130 crore. He also distributed 7.5 million cards to beneficiaries of the Ayushman Bharat scheme in Chhattisgarh. Modi also virtually flagged off a new train connecting Antagarh in Kanker district to Raipur.

He also laid the foundation stone for the construction of three sections (Jhanki-Sargi (43 km), Sargi-Basanwahi (57 km), and Basanwahi-Marangpuri (25 km)) as part of the six-lane Raipur-Visakhapatnam economic corridor NH-130 CD. Additionally, the PM dedicated the doubling of the 103-km-long Raipur-Khariar Road Rail Line, constructed at a cost of Rs 750 crore, and a 17-km-long new railway line connecting Keoti-Antagarh.

In Gorakhpur, the prime minister attended the centenary celebration of publisher Gita Press and addressed its closing ceremony. There, he released two books and conferred the Gandhi Peace Prize to Gita Press. Later, Modi flagged off two Vande Bharat Express trains — the Jodhpur-Sabarmati (Ahmedabad) train and the Gorakhpur-Lucknow Charbagh train.

PM Modi also held a roadshow in Gorakhpur and was welcomed by a shower of flower petals upon his arrival to the city. He also visited the residence of Union Minister Pankaj Chaudhary on his way to Gorakhpur Railway Station, where he laid a redevelopment foundation stone and flagged off two Vande Bharat Express trains.