PM to inaugurate Def Expo; fast at Chennai

New Delhi: Apart from his scheduled day-long fast protesting the impasse in the Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Defence Expo - a biennial exhibition of weapons and military hardware at Tiruvidanthal, in Tamil Nadu on Thursday.

The tagline of DefExpo this year is "India: The Emerging Defence Manufacturing Hub" to showcase India's capability in the export of defence systems and components.

More than 670 exhibitors including over 150 international exhibitors will take part in the DefExpo. MSME sector will have a fair representation this time around 15 percent.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will also be present at the occasion and will join PM Modi by fasting.

Through an audio message on Wednesday morning, the Prime Minister briefed all BJP MPs and MLAs that the Congress has held the Parliament hostage. "Few people who couldn't manage a win in 2014, do not want the country's development now," PM Modi added.

"They could not retain power that's why they did not let House run," he also mentioned.

Making a scathing attack on the major Opposition party, the Prime Minister also called the Congress 'megalomaniac'.

BJP chief Amit Shah and other party parliamentarians will also hold a protest in various part of the country.

Meanwhile, the DefExpo comes amid heightened protests across the southern state demanding setting up of the Cauvery Management Board. There is widespread anger over the central government dragging its feet in implementing the Supreme Court guidelines.

The opposition DMK has asked people to wear black shirts and sarees during Modi's visit to formally inaugurate the 10th edition of DefExpo.

PM will reach the capital city of Tamil Nadu on Thursday morning and then will reach the programme venue by chopper. In the afternoon he will also visit the cricket stadium of IIT Madras and later inaugurate the Diamond Jubilee building of Cancer Institute.