PM Files Nomination In Varanasi, Top NDA Leaders Join In Show Of Strength

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aiming for an unprecedented third term in Varanasi, formally entered the electoral fray on Tuesday amidst a fervent show of support from NDA allies and enthusiastic crowds.

- BISWAJEET BANERJEE

Modi's nomination, steeped in religious rituals and celestial alignments, marks the beginning of what promises to be a closely-watched electoral battle.

Initiating his journey with prayers at the city's Kaal Bhairav temple and an aarti on the banks of the Ganga at the Dashashwamedh ghat, Modi sought divine blessings before proceeding to file his nomination papers at the election office in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The timing for his nomination filing was chosen by renowned astrologer Pandit Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid. Dravid, celebrated for his role in determining propitious timings for events like the consecration of the Ayodhya Ram temple, endorsed May 14 as the ideal date for Modi's nomination.

Following Dravid's guidance, Modi submitted his papers at 12 pm, accompanied by key figures from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and BJP president JP Nadda, alongside chief ministers from a dozen states. The atmosphere reverberated with chants of "Har Har, Modi!" as saffron-clad supporters lined the streets, showering rose petals on the Prime Minister's convoy.

The proposers of Modi's candidacy from the Kashi Lok Sabha seat included Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid, Baijnath Patel, Lalchand Kushwaha, and Sanjay Sonkar from the Dalit community.