PM likely to visit Varanasi on Sept 22-23, inaugurate projects

Six months after the BJP’s landslide win in the UP assembly election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on September 22 and 23 to thank the people and lay the foundation of several developmental schemes, party sources said.

The PM is most likely to call on a group of Muslim women which supported the NDA government’s stand against triple talaq and offered prayers to Lord Hanuman on the issue.

The visit, the PM’s first after the assembly polls, will begin with distribution of registration certificates to beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Besides, the PM will lay the foundation of seven projects at Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) on September 22 afternoon.

Modi will also inaugurate 17 projects, including the Ramnagar- Samne Ghat bridge, Balua Ghat bridge on the Ganga and the second phase of the trade facilitation centre. The PM inaugurated the first phase of the trade facilitation centre in December last year.

He will stay overnight at the DLW guesthouse where he is likely to meet prominent people of Varanasi to seek their opinion on various issues.

He will inaugurate a big animal fair on 1800 acres of land in Shahanshahpur area here on September 23.

After addressing farmers, he will fly back to New Delhi the same day.

Party sources said chief minister Yogi Adityanath formally invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kashi during his visit to New Delhi on Monday.

The PM had held road shows on March 4, 5 and 6 in Varanasi just before the last phase of the assembly elections.

The party’s district unit president Hansraj Vishwakarma has confirmed the PM’s visit, though the official itinerary is yet to be received.

GHATS TO GLOW ON PM’S BIRTHDAY

The local BJP unit will light earthen lamps at 67 out of 84 ghats in Varanasi, major intersections and parks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on September 17.

The BJP plans to carry out a cleanliness drive across the city, hold health camps in rural pockets, including PM’s adopted villages Jayapur, Nagepur and Kakrahiya.

The BJP district unit president Hansraj Vishwakarma said, “There will be a series of events to mark the PM’s birthday. We will clean as many as villages we can cover in two of the five assembly constituencies, which are part of Varanasi parliamentary constituency, on September 17. We will also make people aware of the importance of cleanliness.”

The BJP members will visit at least five schools in the city to distribute erasers, pencils and exercise books among the students. Cultural events have been planned in at least 12 schools of the city.

Kashi region BJP spokesperson Sanjay Bhardwaj said, “Earthen lamps will be lit at the ghats and prayers will be offered for longevity and good health of PM Modi. The Kashi BJP with cooperation of locals wants to gift the PM a swachch Kashi on his birthday. The BJP members will carry out a cleanliness drive at various locations in Varanasi.”