Prez Pranab cuts short West Bengal visit in view of Phailin

New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee, who is at his ancestral home in West Bengal for Durga Puja, has cut short his visit and will return here today in view of Cyclone `Phailin` that is set to hit Odisha coast.

The President has decided to cut short his visit keeping in view the weather conditions due to Phailin, Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson Venu Rajamony said. He said the President will arrive here this evening. He will also participate in Dussehra festival in Ramlila Maidan tomorrow, Rajamony said. Mukherjee had arrived at his ancestral home in Mirati, a village 200 km from Kolkata in West Bengal, for Durga Puja on October 10. Cyclone `Phailin`--meaning sapphire in Thai language-- is set to make a landfall this evening in Odisha`s Gopalpur.