PM Modi holds roadshow, performs Ganga aarti in Varanasi

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Apr 25 (ANI): A day before filing nomination, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a roadshow and performed Ganga aarti in his parliamentary constituency, Varanasi. 
The Prime Minister began the mega roadshow after paying tributes to Pt Madan Mohan Malviya's statue outside Banaras Hindu University. The rally, spanning over six kilometres, passed through Lanka and Madanpura areas of the city and came to an end at the famed Dashashwamedh Ghat.
Immersed in devotion, Modi listened to hymns performed on the bank of river Ganga and later performed Aarti at the ghat of the holy river.
BJP president Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and state BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey were among those who accompanied the Prime Minister. 
Modi then interacted with select intellectuals at Hotel De Paris. 
Before starting his programmes in Varanasi, Modi tweeted that his scheduled programmes in "beloved Kashi" would give him an opportunity to interact with his “sisters and brothers” of the town.
"After bumper rallies in Darbhanga and Banda, I am heading to beloved Kashi. There are a series of programmes lined up, which would give me another excellent opportunity to interact with my sisters and brothers of Kashi. Har Har Mahadev!" Modi tweeted.
A huge number of supporters lined up on the streets during the roadshow in order to get a glimpse of the Priem Minister. 
A Modi supporter at the venue said, "We are very eager to welcome Modi ji. He will get a grand welcome here. India has never got such a Prime Minister before, nor will it get a Prime Minister like Modi in future. For a bright future of the country, it is important that he comes back to power once again.”
BJP's pitch to make national security a top poll agenda appeared to have several takers at the rally, with many endorsing the party’s views on the matter.
"Before 2014 we had a prime minister who only 'condemned' (the terrorist activities), now we have a Prime Minister who bombs Pakistan," said another supporter.
Some women, dressed in traditional Maharashtrian attires,  also echoed similar sentiments as the crowd raised slogans in praise of the Prime Minister.
Modi is slated to file his nomination from Varanasi Lok Sabha seat tomorrow. Almost all prominent leaders of the BJP, as well as members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), will be present in the temple city to mark the occasion.
During the 2014 general elections, Modi had contested and won from Vadodara in Gujarat as well as from Varanasi but retained the latter after trouncing Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal with a massive margin of 3.37 lakh votes.
Varanasi will vote on May 19 - in the seventh and the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. (ANI)