'Leaving for Lucknow where I will join Vijaya Dashmi celebrations. Looking forward to the programme,' Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweets.

The PM will visit the historic Ram Leela in Aishbagh area of the old city on Dussehra.

He will also address the gathering there, his first since the Indian army conducted surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Hitting out at opposition parties over remarks on Modi's visit to Lucknow, the Bharatiya Janata Party said he does not need their permission to visit any part of the country as he is the Prime Minister of 125 crore people of India and a Lok Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh.

It said the country is proud of Modi who believes in action and salutes him and the armed forces for the surgical strikes which targeted terror launch pads across the LoC.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had taken a dig at Modi over his Dussehra visit to the Aishbagh Dussehra Mela in Lucknow, saying he would have visited Bihar had the state been facing elections like Uttar Pradesh.

BSP supremo Mayawati and Congress have accused Modi of politicising the surgical strikes for political gains.