In the ancient city of Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, having sought blessings from the formidable deity Kal Bhairav and conducted the sacred ritual of ‘Ganga Pujan’, is set to formally submit his candidacy for a third consecutive term representing the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency. This significant event is scheduled for 11.30 am on Tuesday.
Accompanying the Prime Minister at the nomination venue are anticipated to be twelve Chief Ministers from states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Among the distinguished attendees are several Union Ministers, including the esteemed figures of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah, alongside the Presidents of various allies within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Before commencing the formal nomination process, Prime Minister Modi, in reverence to the sacred river Ganga, revered by adherents of the Hindu faith as a maternal figure, offered prayers at the revered Dashashwamedh Ghat. Following this, he made a pilgrimage to the revered Namo Ghat, and thereafter proceeded to the revered Baba Kaal Bhairav temple to seek divine blessings. Subsequently, the Prime Minister will proceed to the collectorate to officially file his nomination papers.
Marking the auspicious occasion of Ganga Saptami, Prime Minister Modi participated in prayers and performed the revered ritual of Ganga Aarti at the sacred Ghat. It is anticipated that he will later convene a meeting with party workers at the convention center. Notably, the submission of PM Modi’s nomination papers aligns with the auspicious Ganga Saptami under the benevolent Pushya Nakshatra. Astrologer Pandit Rishi Dwivedi expounded that, according to ancient scriptures, this celestial alignment holds significance due to the harmonious positioning of celestial bodies.
Embarking on a ceremonial cruise towards NaMo Ghat, Prime Minister Modi embarked on an expedition to offer prayers at the revered Kaal Bhairav temple and solicit divine approval from the deity, known colloquially as ‘Kashi Ke Kotwal’, to officially submit his nomination papers for a third term. It is a deeply ingrained belief that anyone arriving in Kashi must seek permission from Kaal Bhairav for their sojourn. Speaking to the press during the cruise, the Prime Minister reminisced about his inaugural visit to Varanasi in 2014, attributing his deep connection with the city to a spiritual calling from Mother Ganga.
“Now that my biological mother is no longer with us, I feel that Mother Ganga has filled that void, evoking similar sentiments within me,” he expressed poignantly. The anticipated attendees at the nomination ceremony include Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, among others.
Additionally, sources indicate the presence of Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha. Prominent political figures including Rashtriya Lok Dal Chief Jayant Chaudhary, Lok Janshakti Party Chief Chirag Paswan, Apna Dal (S) President Anupriya Patel, and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party President Om Prakash Rajbhar are also expected to grace the occasion with their presence.
Security measures have been bolstered outside the office of the District Magistrate in Varanasi ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s nomination. Anticipating this significant event, the Bharatiya Janata Party articulated in a Hindi communication on X that the sacred city of Kashi is once again poised to endorse its chosen representative (Prime Minister Modi) for parliamentary duties.
“I have not come here on my own volition, nor has anyone dispatched me here. It is the call of Mother Ganga that beckons me… This bond between Kashi, its denizens, and the Chief Servant is one characterized by progress, faith, and endearment. Kashi stands ready once again to send its beloved chief servant to the parliament by bestowing upon him an unprecedented mandate,” the BJP communicated.
Prime Minister Modi further reflected on his deep-rooted bond with the city through a communication on X. “My bond with my beloved Kashi transcends mere words; it is profound, inseparable, and incomparable,” he expressed. The electoral process in Varanasi is slated for June 1st, marking the culmination of the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Preceding this, on Monday evening, Prime Minister Modi led an elaborate roadshow along a five-kilometer stretch in Varanasi. Accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP state president Chaudhary Bhupendra Singh, the procession resonated with fervent chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ and ‘Jai Shree Ram’, as throngs of supporters and residents gathered to extend their support and adulation to the Prime Minister.