Bhubaneswar, Jan. 24: The BJP is finding it hard to get a suitable venue here for the public meeting of its prime ministerial candidate and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on February 11.

The city has three major grounds — the Capital High School playground, Janata Maidan at Jaydev Vihar and Exhibition Ground at Unit-III.

While Janata Maidan and Exhibition Ground have already been booked, the only suitable ground left for Modi’s meeting is the Capital High School ground.

State BJP spokesperson Samir Mohanty said: “While the city police has given its clearance for the Capital High School ground, it is unfortunate that the government is not giving permission to organise the meeting on the Capital High School ground.”

The coordinator for the meeting Bhrigu Bauxipatra said: “We approached the government on December 26 to give the school ground for the meeting. But the government is yet to make its stand clear on it. While it had earlier given permission to organise meetings in the same ground, now the government is not giving permission for Modi’s meeting.”

Buxipatra said if the government remained silent on the issue, the party would have to think of other alternative venue for the meeting.

“Modi’s meeting will certainly be held in Bhubaneswar and the government cannot stop it. The government should be more courteous and allow the meeting to take place on the Capital High School ground.”

School and mass education minister Rabi Narayan Nanda said: “It has been a standing order that no school ground be given for political use. Even our chief minister’s meeting at a few places had been rescheduled. We will not compromise on this.”

The minister said that the matriculation examination was scheduled to begin from February 25.

A political meeting in the school will certainly affect the study atmosphere.

“If we allow it, other political parties will also approach in rural areas to organise meetings on school campuses. It will create problem at that time,” Nanda said.

Sources said the BJP was now thinking of organising the meeting at Baramunda playground.