Dimapur, Oct. 20: Jittery Nagaland officials heaved a sigh of relief after the chief minister’s office today confirmed that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will go ahead with his tour of the state.

The news that the PMO had cancelled the Manipur leg of the tour had rattled the officials. According to the chief minister’s office, Vajpayee will arrive in the state on October 27 and spend two nights in Kohima.

Dimapur broke into a frenzy of activity like repairing roads on a war footing, giving commercial establishments a fresh coat of paints, putting up Angami gates at strategic locations and rehearsing full-time for offering the Prime Minister a traditional Naga welcome.

According to the official itinerary, Vajpayee will inaugurate the Indira Gandhi stadium where he will also address a meeting, visit the World War II cemetery, be present at the first convocation of the Nagaland University and attend the dinners hosted by the governor and chief minister.

There are great expectations that the Prime Minister may introduce the much-awaited mobile phone services in the state and announce a special economic package during his visit here.

Chief minister Neiphiu Rio said the state has invited deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani to visit the state in early December. The government had proposed December 1 for the visit so that he can inaugurate the hornbill festival.

Jamir stand: Former Nagaland chief minister S. C. Jamir today said the Prime Minister should visit all the states in the Northeast rather tour only Nagaland.

The Congress will submit a memorandum to Vajpayee on political and economic issues concerning Nagaland, he told reporters today. Vajpayee should announce an economic package for the state, he added.