President arrives in Patna to a rousing welcome

Patna: President Pranab Mukherjee arrived here on Wednesday to a rousing welcome on his first visit to Bihar after assuming the high office in July.

People in large numbers lined the streets to welcome Mukherjee as his calvalcde left the airport here. The President, who is scheduled to attend functions in Patna and Darbhanga, will be proceeding to Mumbai tomorrow before returning to the capital. Bihar Governor Devanand Konwar and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar received the President at the airport here. Kumar had come to New Delhi to personally extend an invitation to Mukherjee to visit Bihar. Kumar`s party JD-U, despite being a key constituent of NDA, had voted for Mukherjee in the Presidential election after going against its ally BJP which had backed P A Sangma. Mukherjee will be attending a function for the launch of Agriculture Road Map of Bihar (2012-2017) and also unveil a plaque of Rajendra Mandap hall here. The President will also address the 4th convocation of Lalit Narayan Mithila University at Darbhanga. Mukherjee will be the second President after APJ Abdul Kalam to address the convocation. Kalam had delivered the convocation address there in 2005. On October 4, the President will leave for Mumbai where he will inaugurate the 7th Edition of India CHEM 2012, an event of the chemicals and petrochemicals industry. PTI