Zee Media Bureau
Ahmedabad: Signalling a turnaround by Washington after years of boycotting Narendra Modi for his dubious role in the 2002 Gujarat riots, US Ambassador to India Nancy Powell will meet the Gujarat Chief Minister and the BJP`s PM candidate for 2014 General Elections on Thursday.
Powell arrived in Gujarat on Wednesday in order to meet Modi.
The recent developments are a U-turn in the stand of US which seems to ending the boycott of Modi.
Reports had earlier stated that Powell has sought a meeting with Modi which is scheduled to take place in Gandhinagar.
The reports of Powell-Modi meeting had triggered speculations whether the US administration is planning to lift the visa ban on the Gujarat Chief Minister.
However, the State Department was quick to play down the meeting and said that it does not indicate any change on the nine-year old visa ban policy on Modi.
The US had imposed visa ban on Modi on grounds of “sever violations of religious freedom” after the 2002 Gujarat riots.
