Lok Sabha Elections 2024: PM Modi files nomination from Varanasi, meets BJP workers

Lucknow: Seeking a third term in office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday filed his nomination papers from Varanasi Lok Sabha seat in the presence of chief ministers of the BJP ruled states and other senior NDA leaders.

Modi, who would be seeking his third straight win from the constituency, filed his nomination around 12 in the morning on 'Ganga Saptami', which was considered to be the auspicious day.

The prime minister's proposers included Acharya Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid, who was the chief priest at the Ram temple consecration ceremony at Ayodhya in January this year. The three other proposers included Baijnath Patel and Lalchand Kushwaha, both OBCs, and Sanjay Sonekar, who hailed from Dalit community.

Earlier in the day, Modi performed aarti at the historic Dashashwamedh Ghat on the bank of the Ganga and also visited the famous Kal Bhairav Temple before proceeding to file the nomination papers. According to the Hindu mythology Kal Bhairav was considered to be the 'Kotwal' of Kashi (the old name of Varanasi).

Prominent among the NDA leaders, who were present on this occasion, included union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, BJP President J P Nadda, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, LJP chief Chirag Paswan, RLD President Jayant Choudhary and others.

The prime minister later met the leaders and workers of the saffron party's local unit and asked them to reach out to the people and apprise them about the various schemes of the central and state governments.

In a post on his official 'X' (formerly Twitter), Modi expressed gratitude to the battery of NDA leaders who were present during his nomination. "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," he said in his post.

He also said that he was excited after having filed his nomination from the seat for the third time. He said that he would continue to serve the people of Kashi in the days to come with renewed energy. The NDA leaders exuded confidence that they would return to power with greater majority.

Modi had won his first LS election from Varanasi in 2014 by 3.71 lakh votes. In 2019, he registered win over his nearest rival by 4.79 lakh votes. The prime minister's main rival in Varanasi was UP Congress president Ajay Rai, who was a candidate of the I.N.D.I.A. alliance.