‘Namaste Trump’, a mega event at Motera cricket stadium, seems to be the only engagement U.S. President Donald Trump will have in Ahmedabad on February 24.
Earlier, Sabarmati Ashram and then a high-profile event at the motor stadium, besides inauguration of the world’s largest cricket stadium, were on the itinerary during the President’s visit to Ahmedabad.
Inauguration put off
However, the inauguration of the stadium built by the Gujarat Cricket Association, once headed by Narendra Modi when he was the Chief Minister and subsequently by Amit Shah, has been postponed. Now, only the ‘Namaste Trump’ event is slated at the stadium, while its inauguration will be held later.
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Moreover, the visit to the Sabarmati Ashram has also apparently disappeared from the President’s itinerary. According to sources, Mr. Trump and the First Lady will pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat in New Delhi on February 25.
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Though the President’s exact schedule and itinerary have not been made public yet, going by the tentative schedule, Air Force One carrying the President and his delegation is expected to touch down around 11.55 a.m. on February 24 and straight from the airport, they will drive to the stadium for ‘Namaste Trump’ while passing by the road show Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has organised.
“It appears that since the President and the First Lady want to see Taj Mahal at Agra, they will leave early from Ahmedabad,” a top government official involved in the preparations for the visit told The Hindu.
Earlier, when the Ashram was included on the menu, the Agra visit was not confirmed but now it is official that the President will fly to Agra to see Taj Mahal during sunset.
