BANGALORE, November 17: The weather forecast for the city on Sunday indicates more rain. The Indian Meteorological Department’s forecast assumes importance as it may prove a dampener for thousands of BJP supporters who are slated to gather at Palace Grounds to listen to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s maiden speech in the city as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate.
Cause
The unseasonal rainfall is attributed to a depression over the Bay of Bengal, currently moving south-west and having crossed the Tamil Nadu coast between 12.30 p.m. and 1.30 p.m. on Saturday, IMD sources explained.
As a result, the maximum temperatures dipped by 5.12 degrees Celsius, coming down to 22.8 degrees C even as minimum temperatures remain unchanged.
IMD officials said the depression has caused heavy cloud cover over Bangalore, resulting in “moderate rainfall”, between 7.6 mm and 35 mm.
‘Not unduly bothered’
BJP leaders said that they were “not unduly bothered” as it would not result in a decline in crowds. Being a cadre-based party, they are confident that the thousands who are already on their way from across the State are unlikely to be deterred by the rain.
“It has been planned out well and each election booth is sending representatives,” a party member said, adding that at worst there could be a decline in those who had planned to come from different parts of Bangalore.
“These issues had been discussed. It is impossible to make alternative arrangements for an event of this scale. But we are not worried,” the member added. The IMD forecast adds that south-interior Karnataka will see moderate to rather heavy rain, while a few places in coastal Karnataka will see heavy rain.
Heavy rain is predicted in Chamarajanagar, Mandya, Mysore and Madikeri.
