As the sun set at 6.58 p.m. , it was a memorable moment at the Dashashwamedh Ghat when BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi participated and witnessed the traditional Ganga arti amidst rendering of bhajans and pealing conch shells and clouds of incenceon on the banks of the holy river on Saturday. The twinkling artis floating on the river added to make the occasion a very special one.
later addresing the huge gathering he expressed his gratitude to the people of Kashi for their vote and affection they had showed on him. He also thanked the state party chief lakshmi Kant Bajpai and the party, national president Rajnath Singh and the party’s UP incharge Amit Shah for their contribution in the landslide victory of the party.
“We all will work together to make the city a spiritual capital and start work of cleanliness from here,” said Modi while addressing gathering at Dashaswamedh ghat.He assured to make Kashi clean and said he would not allow Kashi to be dirty. He said Varanasi has tremendous potential and would make Kashi into a tourist hub.
According to him, it is for the first time since independence that the people gave a full mandate to non-Congress party to work.”Till date we had seen coalition in ruling the government but for first time, country will see coalition in opposition,” he said, adding that earlier when he came here he was stopped even to talk to the people. He said that this mandate is for the change as for the first time the people who were born in independent India will rule the nation.
He paid his obeisance to the holy land of Kashi.Along with BJP president Rajnath Singh, in-charge of party’s UP affairs Amit Shah, state president laxmikant Bajpai and many others he also watched the Ganga-Arti. While watching the arti Modi was in thoughtful mood occasionally talking to Rajnath and others as while filing his nomination, he said that he came here as “Maa Ganga ne bulaya ha…”
Earlier, thousands of people were present to have a glance of Modi and they welcomed him with slogans of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ when he came out from Vishwanath Gali. Security personnel had a difficult time to help Modi board in his vehicle and go to Dashaswamedh Ghat to see the internationally famous Ganga-Arti. Roads between Vishwanath Gali and Dashaswamedh were packed and thousands of people were watching their popular representative, going to become next prime minister from road sides and rooftops. At the ghat, hours before his arrival, all arrangements were made perfect. Modi, along with Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah offered prayer and Rudrabhishek at Kashi Vishwanath temple where the puja was performed several Brahmins under the guidance of chief of KV Temple Trust Pt. Ashok Dwevedi. They offered vastra, belpatra, malas of lotus and other flowers and conducted arti. later, the priest put chandan tilak on forehead of Modi and others. It was second time in recent months when Modi visited this one of the Dwadasjyotilingas. A few months ago when he arrived here to address Vijayshank Rally near Raja Talab, he also visited the temple and offered prayer. At that time, it was not decided that Modi would contest from Varanasi as the rally was attended by the then sitting local BJP MP Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi.
When the motorcade having dozens of vehicles including of district officers and police reached lahurabir, several thousands of supporters were present there. Hundreds of supporters of NDA’s alliance partner Apna Dal carrying their flags were also present. The alliance helped AD first time to send its two MPs to the lok Sabha, thanks to Modi wave that helped both the candidates registered thumping victories in Mirzapur and Pratapgarh where party’s general secretary Annupriya Patel and Kunwar Harivansh Singh emerged victorious. Despite scorching heat, thousands of people were waiting for the motorcade to reach there since 5.00 p.m. Many were disappointed as they could fail to see Modi boarding in a vehicle, along with some senior party leaders. Similar, crowds of supporters were seen at the Police lines, Chowkaghat and Teliabagh. After lahurabir, the rush was increased sharply as the motorcade started passing through densely-populated city areas. Security personnel piloting the caravan faced a lot of problems, controlling the mobs between Piplani crossing to Maidagin via Kabirchaura and lohatia and from Maidagin crossing to Chowk through Bulanana and Nichibagh. Elaborate security arrangements were made as a huge number of para-military personnel were deployed there and security personnel were on high alert.
It was a hectic day for the BJP as right from morning the party workers became active in decorating crossings on the route from which Modi’s motorcade was scheduled to pass through. The city was flooded with saffron posters and flags as the party leaders got opportunities to welcome Modi, who could not visit much during his campaigning here. After the start of polling process, he could visit only twice and both the times, despite several restrictions, lakhs of the Banarasis turned out on the roads, which virtually reflected in poll results. Aam Admi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal, who surprised the nation, defeating the then Delhi chief minister Sheila Dixit, could not even challenge Modi closely here, though his entire party’s top leaders and cadres were campaigning here visiting every lane and sub-lane, village to village wooing different sections. Despite becoming target No. 1 by the rivals in his absentia, the city remained gripped in NaMo fever giving him a thumping victory. The post-poll visit of Modi witnessed the same spirit among party workers as well as majority of Banarasis, packed on roadsides on several miles long route, shouting “Modi, Modi”.