PM Modi to file nomination for Varanasi on April 26, NDA leaders to be present

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will file his nomination papers for the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat on Friday, April 26, in the presence of senior NDA leaders including JDU president Nitish Kumar and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Shiromani Akali Dal's Parkash Singh Badal and Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan will also be in attendance when the PM files his nominations at 11.30 am on Friday, the BJP said.

A day before filing his nomination, the PM will hold a "major roadshow" in Varanasi that will start from the Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya's statue and end at Dashashwamedh Ghat, according to a party press release issued on Wednesday.

"After the roadshow, the Prime Minister will participate in the Ganga Arti at Dashashwamedh Ghat. After that, at 8 pm, he will have a conversation with eminent personalities of Varanasi at Hotel De Paris," the BJP said.

The BJP press release listed the two-day program of PM in complete detail.

On Friday, the PM would be addressing booth heads and party workers at 9.30 am.

"After this program, around 11 am, the PM will go and worship the city god Kal Bhairav. At 11.30 am, PM will file his nomination for Varanasi Lok Sabha seat," said the release.

"In this (nomination) program, Akali Dal's senior leader and former chief minister (Punjab) Shri Parkash Singh Badal ji, Bihar chief minister and JDU chief Shri Nitish Kumar ji, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray ji, central minister and president of Lok Janshakti Party Ram Vilas Paswanji will be present," the press release said.

The release added that leaders of AIADMK, Apna Dal and North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) will also be present.