PM Modi to make Varanasi hub of poll campaign

PM Modi will land in his parliamentary constituency on March 3 and will stay put for three days to participate in the campaigning on March 5 – the last day of the campaign in this year's poll schedules.

New Delhi: Varanasi has eight assembly segments. But what goes around in the globally famous pilgrim city politically and electorally would have a bigger impact in several other constituencies across eastern Uttar Pradesh. 

In the 2017 elections, the BJP had won six seats and allies, Apna Dal (S) and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), had won one seat each. It was a clean sweep. It had been explained that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aggressive and people-oriented campaigns had done the magic.

For the upcoming last two phases of polls as well, PM Modi will land in his parliamentary constituency on March 3 and will stay put for three days to participate in the campaigning on March 5 – the last day of the campaign in this year's poll schedules.

UP has completed five phases of polls, and two more phases are to be conducted on March 3 and March 7.

The seats in and around Varanasi will go to the polls on March 7. Other important constituencies in the region, including Gorakhpur Urban and Gorakhpur Rural, go to the polls on March 3. 

Of course, the election results in Varanasi district and other eastern UP constituencies will be a matter of prestige for Prime Minister Narendra Modi as they will hold significance not only for the UP legislature but also for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. 

Sources say PM Modi is likely to lead a roadshow in Varanasi city in support of the BJP candidates. He had done one such during the 2017 elections as well. The party would also organise a few mega rallies, 

In the sixth phase of polls on March 3, important constituencies include Katehari, Tanda, Alapur (SC), Jalalpur, Akbarpur, Tulsipur, Gainsari, Maharajganj (SC), Paniyra, Gorakhpur Urban, Gorakhpur Rural, Sahajanwa, Khajani (SC), Chauri-Chaura, Bansgaon (SC), and Chillupar.

In the 7th and last phase of this year's mega polling exercise, voting will be conducted in Saidpur (SC), Ghazipur, Jangipur, Zahoorabad, Shivpur, Rohaniya, Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantt., Mirzapur and Robertsganj, among others.

On March 3 — when polling will be going on in 57 seats for the sixth phase, the Prime Minister is slated to address public meetings in Chadauli and Jaunpur districts.