New Delhi: A “mega” seven-km roadshow, a temple run, and a show of political strength: PM Narendra Modi’s nomination filing for a second consecutive term as Varanasi’s Lok Sabha representative will be a two-day affair also aimed at “expressing gratitude” to local voters.
PM Modi’s roadshow through the streets of Varanasi will take place Thursday evening. Accompanying him will be senior BJP leaders, top sources told ThePrint.
The roadshow will begin from the iconic Banaras Hindu University and culminate at Kachehri in the heart of the city.
Modi is scheduled to file his nomination papers Friday.
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Ganga aarti on the itinerary
Over the two days, the PM is expected to visit several Hindu temples, including the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple Thursday evening.
He is also likely to take part in Varanasi’s famed Ganga aarti by the ghats, again Thursday evening.
On Friday, the Prime Minister will visit the temple of the city’s presiding deity, Kaal Bhairav, before heading out to file his affidavit.
As he arrives to file his nomination papers, he will have for company leaders of other constituents of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the coalition led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including Parkash Singh Badal of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of the Janata Dal (United), and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackarey.
Chief ministers of states where the BJP is in office will also be present at the venue.
Apart from political leaders, the grandson of the late shehnai virtuoso Ustad Bismillah Khan, a Varanasi native, and the ‘dom raja‘, an important figure around the ghats to whom most doms (caretakers of the cremation grounds) owe allegiance, will join Modi’s nomination party, in keeping with local caste and community equations.
The party sources told ThePrint that the PM’s schedule was prepared in deference to the fact that he wanted to express gratitude to the local electorate, which elected him with a margin of 3.4 lakh votes in 2014.
“This will be the second time that he will represent this constituency and he wants to thank the residents for allowing him this chance,” a senior party leader said.
Congress finalises Ajay Rai as Varanasi candidate
The Congress Thursday finalised former MLA Ajay Rai as its Lok Sabha election candidate against Modi, repeating the contest of 2014.
It was earlier speculated that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress general secretary and party president Rahul Gandhi’s sister, may make her electoral debut from the constituency.
Vadra had herself said that she would contest from the seat if her party wanted her to.
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This report has been updated with additional information