Accompanied by top NDA leaders, PM Modi files nomination papers from Varanasi

VARANASI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi filed his nomination papers for the Varanasi parliamentary seat on Tuesday in the presence of senior leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), saying he would continue to work for the all-round development and welfare of people with new energy.

PM Modi, who reached Varanasi on Monday and held a 6km-long roadshow later in the evening, offered prayers at Dashashwamedh Ghat on the banks of the Ganga before proceeding to the Baba Kaal Bhairav temple, known as the custodian of Kashi, where he offered prayers to the presiding deity before heading to the Varanasi district collectorate.

Outside the collector’s office, he was greeted by top leaders of the BJP and the NDA. PM Modi went into the district magistrate S Rajalingam’s office with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and the four residents of the holy town who proposed his name.

Among the four were two BJP workers Lalchand Kushwaha and Sanjay Sonkar, a long-time volunteer of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh and the Kashi-based astrology scholar Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid, who was in the spotlight this year for deciding the time of the main consecration ceremony of the idol at the Ram Temple on January 22 this year.

Varanasi will vote in the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections on June 1.

The NDA leaders who accompanied PM Modi were former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma, union minister Ramdas Athawale, Lok Janshakti Party chief Chirag Paswan, Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party president Pashupati Paras, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi, Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief Upendra Kushwaha, Lok Dal president Jayant Chaudhary, Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal (S), Nishad Party’s Sanjay Nishad, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party founder Omprakash Rajbhar.

Chief ministers of BJP-ruled states of Assam (Himanta Biswa Sarma), Gujarat (Bhupendra Patel), Chhattisgarh (Vishnu Deo Sai), Madhya Prades (Mohan Yadav), Rajasthan (Bhajanlal Sharma), Maharashtra (Eknath Shinde), Haryana (Nayab Singh Saini), were also present.

In two posts on X, formerly Twitter, PM Modi thanked the BJP’s alliance partners who came to Varanasi and the people of the constituency.

“I am honoured by the presence of our valued NDA allies in Kashi today. Our alliance represents a commitment to national progress and fulfilling regional aspirations. We will work together for the progress of India in the years to come,” PM Modi said in a post on X.

In another post, PM Modi said there had been “remarkable achievements” over the past decade. “Filed my nomination papers as a candidate for the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat. It is an honour to serve the people of this historic seat. With the blessings of the people, there have been remarkable achievements over the last decade. This pace of work will get even faster in the times to come,” he said.

Lalchand Kushwaha and Sanjay Sonkar, the two BJP workers handpicked to propose PM Modi’s nomination, said it was a “great day” for them. “I am a grassroots-level worker of the party. I am thankful to PM Modi and the BJP for giving me this opportunity. The party trusted me.. it was really a great day for me. I am very happy,” said Kushwaha, a sentiment echoed by Sonkar as well.