Prime Minister and kingpin of the BJP, Narendra Modi, who is in the election fray from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, is going to file a nomination for his candidature on this 14th. Massive arrangements are currently underway in Varanasi to welcome Modi, who is contesting for the third time in this spiritual city after winning with a landslide majority in the 2014 and 2019 elections.
Meanwhile, the BJP high command has sent invitations to prominent leaders across the country to attend the nomination rally for Narendra Modi. More than 5 lakh people are expected to attend the event. Among the invitees are former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and TDP national president Chandra Babu Naidu and Janasena supremo Pawan Kalyan. It is a known fact that the BJP forged an alliance with the TDP and Janasena parties in Andhra Pradesh for the assembly and parliament elections. Though the TDP pulled out of the NDA before the 2019 elections, it has once again joined the fold ahead of the 2024 elections. Modi canvassed extensively in Andhra Pradesh a couple of times in the last couple of months as the BJP is contesting in 10 assembly and 6 parliament seats.
Both Naidu and Pawan Kalyan have been personally invited by Modi to attend the nomination event in Varanasi. As the polling in Andhra Pradesh ends on May 13th, both leaders are likely to attend the nomination of Modi on Tuesday. Reportedly, Naidu will fly to Varanasi from Gannavaram airport on a special flight. After filing his nomination, Modi will take part in a coordination meeting with regional parties that are in alliance with the BJP.
Voting in Varanasi will be held on June 1 in the seventh phase. Modi won the seat twice in 2014 and 2019 and is eyeing a third term. The Congress has fielded state party chief Ajay Rai in Varanasi, and it will be the third time Rai is facing Modi in Lok Sabha elections.