BJP plans grand affair for Modi's poll nomination from Varanasi

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to file his nomination from UP's Varanasi constituency on April 26, the BJP leaves no stone unturned to ensure that his Varanasi trip is a grand affair, with Hindu undertones.

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh): With Prime minister Narendra Modi scheduled to file his nomination from Uttar Pradesh's (UP) Varanasi constituency on April 26, the Bharatiya Janta Party is determined to ensure that his nomination is nothing short of a 'Hindu' festival, taking its Hindutva agenda forward.

The BJP is leaving no stone unturned to make Modi's Varanasi trip a grand affair. The saffron party is planning a two-day show of strength by Modi in the spiritual capital of India on April 25 and 26, with him holding a big roadshow in the city on the first day and filing his nomination from Varanasi the next day.

Upping the Hindutva pitch in the Hindi heartland, Modi will be kick-starting his campaign on April 25, with a visit to the Kashi Vishwanath temple, which will be followed by the much-talked-about roadshow covering a distance of seven kilometres, starting from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) to Kachahri Chowk in the city.

He will be concluding his road show at Dashashwamedh Ghat, the main ghat in Varanasi on the Ganga River, where he will perform the evening Ganga Aarti, followed by an interaction with certain intellectuals.

The next day, before filing his nomination, Modi will be paying his visit to the Kaal Bhairav temple, one of the oldest Shiva temples in the city, to seek his blessings.

Almost all prominent leaders of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) will accompany PM as he files nomination from his Parliamentary Constituency.

Senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as ally party leaders like JD (U) chief Nitish Kumar, Shiromani Akali Dal patron and former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, Lok Janshakti Party president Ram Vilas Paswan, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, among other prominent leaders of NEDA will reach the temple city to mark the occasion.

Apart from politicians, Shehnai maestro late Ustad Bismillah Khan's grandson Ustad Nasir is also likely to be present during Modi's nomination. Nasir was invited by the BJP in 2014, as Modi was filing his nomination from Varanasi, but, the offer was rejected by the musician. This year, Nasir himself requested to be a part of the spectacle.

The BJP rank and file has been on a door-to-door drive, handing down personal invitations to the roadshow.

During the 2014 general elections, Prime Minister Modi contested and won from Vadodara in Gujarat as well as from Varanasi, but retained the latter after trouncing Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal with a massive margin of 3.37 lakh votes.

Varanasi will vote on May 19 - in the seventh and last phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.