PM Narendra Modi may visit China border for Diwali celebration with Army, ITBP jawans

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand on October 20 - for the second time in less than five months - and may celebrate this year's Diwali with the troops there. 

According to sources, the PM may celebrate Diwali with troops of the Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) on the China border this time.

The PM is scheduled to visit the holy shrine a day after Diwali and will inaugurate a number of projects including the temple protection wall which has been built to prevent 2013-like floods from hitting the temple devoted to Lord Shiva, media reports quoted a source as saying.

However, there is no official confirmation regarding the PM's schedule as yet.

The PM had earlier visited the temple when its doors were opened for public after the winter break and is going there again on it's closure for the season.

With assembly polls scheduled in several states, PM Modi – an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva – is going there to seek divine blessings for his party's victory in the upcoming electoral battle. 

Modi may also use this occasion for inaugurating several projects, including the beautification of the complex, which will possibly be completed by the authorities in 2018. 

The PM had in past started and concluded many campaigns from Gujarat's famous Somnath temple.

BJP chief Amit Shah had recently held a meeting with all stakeholders, including Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and Nehru Institute of Mountaineering chief Colonel Ajay Kothiyal regarding the timely completion of projects related to the shrine which was devastated by the 2013 floods.