LS POLLS: PM Modi files noms in Varanasi for 2nd term; NDA leaders present in strength urge PM on

LS POLLS / MODI / VARANASI

VARANASI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi filed his nomination papers in a re-run for the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat Friday, after a huge show of mass frenzy Thursday and amid a rallying of NDA forces in the form of its leaders here to urge the PM on.

Present were, among others, the UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath who received the PM on his arrival, Akali Dal leader Parkash Singh Badal, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray, AIADMK leader O Pannerselvam, Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, BJP chief Amit Shah, LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan etc.

Addressing the media after filing the nomination papers, PM Modi said that for the first time in the country, there now was a “pro-incumbency wave” across the country — unlike the usual “anti-incumbency” wave.

The PM filed his nomination at the Divisional Commissioner’s office. The last time he filed the nominations was in 2014 in the same constituency. His nearest rival then was AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, who gathered two lakh votes, while the third in line was the Congress nominee who got 75,000 voters.
Among others, Varanasi has strong Muslim and Brahmin voter bases. IHN-NN