UP Assembly Elections 2017: PM Narendra Modi to hold second roadshow in Varanasi today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a roadshow in Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency, from the city's Pandeypur Chauraha to Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth at 3 pm on Sunday (March 5). He held a road show on Saturday (March 4) as well from the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and also addressed two election rallies — one in Jaunpur district and the other at the city's Town Hall — besides offering prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath and Kaal Bhairav temples.

The road show on Sunday will be held to show support to the local BJP candidates contesting the ongoing Assembly elections and will also cover wider and different areas of the city of Varanasi. His party's candidates will also accompany him in the roadshow. PM Modi will also address a rally at 5.30 pm at Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth. The roadshow comes ahead of the last phase of polling in the state which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday (March 8). 

However, the Congress wrote to the Election Commission (EC) on Saturday alleging that PM Modi had violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by holding a road show in Varanasi "without the necessary permission from the competent authority." The party asked the EC to take action against the PM Modi and other senior BJP leaders. 

Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal told the media on Sunday: "Kal road show tha hi nahin. Pradhan Mantri Kashi, Kaal Bhairav Mandir ke darshan ke liye aaye the. Raaste mein jansailaab unke saath jud gaya (There was no road show on Saturday. The prime minister had gone to Varanasi to offer prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath and Kaal Bhairav temples. The public joined him en route)."

Goyal added that the party had taken permission from the concerned authorities for PM Modi to go to Varanasi and offer prayers at the temples. He also said that the road show on Sunday was planned considering the huge crowd which had gathered on Saturday.

PM Modi's road show on Saturday was followed by a joint road show by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav in Varanasi. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati also held a rally in the city. 

The BJP is doing all it can to win the Assembly elections. Several BJP leaders, including party president Amit Shah, have been campaigning aggressively in the state ahead of the final phase.