Kashi decks up for PM Modi’s nomination eve road show today
PM Modi to hold road show in Varanasi before filing nomination for third term. Tight security in place. Cultural performances, diverse community welcome planned.
A day before he files his nomination for a third successive term from the Varanasi parliamentary constituency on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a road show here on Monday amid shehnai tunes, the blowing of conch shells (shankhnaad), the beating of drums (damru) and the chanting of mantras, lending to the occasion a festive atmosphere in the midst of the Lok Sabha election campaign.
The district administration has put in place tight security arrangements.
The road show will begin from intersection at the Banaras Hindu University gate, where Modi will garland a statue of BHU founder Mahamana Pt Madan Mohan Malviya and conclude at Gate Number 4 of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham.
According to Kashi region BJP spokesperson Navratan Rathi, the road show will begin at around 4pm and witnessed the participation of over a lakh BJP workers of Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, Kashi residents, sportspersons, artistes and other prominent people, besides locals.
A group of people from Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Maheshwari, Marwari, Tamil and Punjabi communities will welcome PM Modi in their traditional attire, Rathi added.
The five-kilometre-long road show will offer a glimpse of the cultures of Mini India and Uttar Pradesh.
The family members of Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan will welcome Modi by playing the Shehnai near Madanpura. More than 5,000 BJP women wing workers will be involved in the road show during which flowers will be showered at 100 points.
Along with this, there will be cultural programmes at various places where artists from Varanasi will present folk dances and songs to welcome Modi.
People of Muslim community will also come forward to welcome him.
In Madanpura itself, Muslims will shower flowers under the leadership of former MP Rajesh Mishra. A picture of the Prime Minister touching his mother’s feet will also be seen in the road show.
As the event concludes, Modi will offer prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
He will stay overnight at the Banaras Locomotive Works and hold a dialogue with prominent citizens.
On (Tuesday) May 14, he will offer prayers at the Kaal Bhairav temple and then file his nomination papers. Modi was elected MP from Varanasi in 2014 and 2019. This time, he is seeking a third consecutive term in the Lok Sabha from the temple town.
