Ahead of nomination filing, PM Modi holds grand roadshow in Varanasi
May 13, 2024
Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 13 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an extravagant roadshow on a five-kilometre-stretch on Monday ahead of his nomination filing on May 14.
PM Modi was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP state president Chaudhary Bhupendra Singh. The whole stretch was filled with "Har Har Mahadev" and "Jai Shree Ram" chants as huge crowd of supporters and residents gathered on either sides of the road to cheer the Prime Minister's convoy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his roadshow by garlanding the statue of Mahamana Madan Mohan Malviya at the Singh Dwar of Kashi Hindu University at around 5 pm. After more than two and a half hours, the roadshow concluded at the Kashi Vishwanath Dham.
The entire route of the roadshow offered glimpses of the diverse cultural landscape of India and Uttar Pradesh. Spanning five kilometers, the event featured artists displaying their talents through various forms, including blowing conch shells, playing damru, depicting Ram Darbar on erected stages along the route, and portraying the form of Shiv Parivar.
An exuberant crowd thronged the entire stretch greeting the Prime Minister's convoy. People standing on rooftops of their houses along the way showered flower petals on the Prime Minister's convoy and dance and cultural performances were also organised.
The Prime Minister will file his nomination on Tuesday which will be attended by many BJP leaders, and Chief Ministers from BJP-ruled states among others.
The entire city of Kashi was adorned with saffron hues during PM Modi's roadshow. The Prime Minister was also pictured wearing a saffron-coloured kurta.
The roadshow kicked off from the Singh Gate of Kashi Hindu University at 5 pm, winding its way through Assi, Sonarpura, Bengali Tola, Madanpura, Jangam Bari, Godaulia, and Bansfatak before reaching the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.
A multitude of people, numbering in the lakhs, participated in the roadshow, which extended for over two and a half hours. Throughout this duration, cutouts of Narendra Modi were prominently displayed along the route
After the roadshow, the Prime Minister offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath Dham along with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other BJP leaders.
Tight security measures were in place along the Assi-Lanka Road as part of the Prime Minister's roadshow today. From bomb detectors to metal detectors, and a visible presence of police forces, Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), and Special Protection Group (SPG) members, the authorities left no stone unturned to ensure a safe and secure environment for the event.
On the Prime Minister's nomination filing tomorrow, Union Minister and BJP leader Hardeep Puri said, "PM Modi's tremendous roadshow and rally happened today. Tomorrow also he will be here and will file his nomination. On June 4, BJP govt will come to power again for 5 years, under the leadership of PM Modi. Varanasi has a special place in our life, culture and civilisation and this is our PM's constituency"
Varanasi is the stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party and PM Modi. He won the seat twice- the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The Congress has pitted Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai against PM Modi in Varanasi. This is the third time Ajay Rai will face PM Modi in a Lok Sabha contest.
Voting in Varanasi will be held on June 1 in the seventh phase. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, PM Modi won the seat with over 674,664 votes and commanded a vote share of 63.6 per cent. In 2014, PM Modi contested two Lok Sabha seats- from Gujarat's Vadodara and Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi.
