Ajai Rai of Cong files nomination from Varanasi

Congress candidate for varanasi Lok Sabha seat, Ajai Rai, filed his nomination paper Monday.

Pitted against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rai reached Varanasi collectorate at Kutchery in a roadshow led by party's state unit president Raj Babbar.

The procession, comprising a large number of party supporters besides leaders and workers, started from Azad Park at Peelikothi and reached the collectorate meandering its way through various places in the city.

The Samajwadi Party meanwhile declared dismissed BSF constable Tej Bahadur Yadav as its candidate against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi.

The party, which had earlier nominated Shalini Yadav as the candidate for the SP-BSP-RLD alliance, extended its support to the former constable, who was dismissed from the the BSF on disciplinary grounds.

He had criticised the quality of food for the soldiers of the paramilitary forces in a video which had gone viral.

The ex-BSF constable had already filed his nomination paper.

Two more candidates Bhagwan Pathak and Umesh Chandra Katiyar also filed their nominations Monday on the last day of filing papers.