Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, re-contesting from the Varanasi Parliamentary constituency, will hold a roadshow here on Thursday, a day before filing his nomination papers.
- The road show will begin at around 3 pm after the Prime Minister garlands the statue of Banaras Hindu University founder Madan Mohan Malaviya.
- The procession will end at about 7 pm at the Dashashwamedh Ghat, the most prominent of Varanasi's ghats, where Modi will take part in the evening prayers.
- To welcome the Prime Minister, a 10-feet-high cut-out of the Prime Minister has been put up at the Ganga Ghat. A 12-feet-high cut-out will also reportedly be put up.
- During the Ganga Aarti, boats decorated with LED lights in the shape of the BJP's lotus sign and 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' slogan will be floating around on the river.
- The Prime Minister will also be presented with a Rudraksh garland before the commencement of the Aarti.
On Friday, the prime minister will hold a meeting at 9 am with Bharatiya Janata Party workers at a hotel in the cantonment area.
He will then offer prayers at the Kaal Bhairav temple before leaving for the collectorate to file his papers, seeking re-election from the Lok Sabha seat.
Senior leaders from the BJP and other parties in the National Democratic Alliance will accompany Modi to the collectorate.
Among the allies attending the event are Bihar chief minister and JDU chief Nitish Kumar, Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal, Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.
Union ministers Sushma Swaraj, Piyush Goyal, J P Nadda and Nitin Gadkari are also likely to attend, party leaders said.
In 2014, Modi won the seat by a margin of over three lakh votes against Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal.
This time there is speculation that the Congress may field its general secretary Priyanka Gandhi against him.
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