Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi filed his nomination papers from Varanasi Lok Sabha Constituency in Uttar Pradesh this morning. Varanasi goes to polls in the final phase of the General Elections on June 1.

PM Modi, who is the sitting MP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Varanasi, is eyeing a third straight win, as he had previously won the seat in the 2014 and 2019 elections with a huge margin.

Congress party has fielded its Uttar Pradesh Unit President Ajay Rai and Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) has pitted Athar Ali Lari, in this high profile seat, considered as a BJP stronghold.

PM Modi began his day with a visit to Assi Ghat, where he offered prayers to River Ganga. It was followed by a visit to the Kaal Bhairav Temple followed by the filing of nomination papers at 11.30 am.

PM Modi filed his nomination before Varanasi District Magistrate S. Rajalingam in the presence of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Pandit Ganeshwar Shastri, a Brahmin known for determining the auspicious time for the consecration of Ayodhya Ram temple among others.

The team of proposers for Modi’s nomination included Pandit Ganeshwar Shastri, Baijnath Patel, an old RSS volunteer from OBC community, Lalchand Kushwaha, another OBC community member and Sanjay Sonkar, a Dalit. Rashtriya Lokdal (RLD) President Jayant Chaudhary also participated in PM’s nomination from Varanasi.