Prime Minister Narendra Modi staged a show of strength on Thursday at his home city of Varanasi as the country’s 39-day staggered general election neared its mid-point.
Varanasi was one of two seats that Mr. Modi fought and won at the last election in 2014. He has so far chosen to represent Varanasi in Parliament and is not likely to pursue any other seat.
Surrounded by tens of thousands of supporters, Mr. Modi, who is seeking a second term as premier, bowed to the crowd with folded hands from an elevated podium.
He then toured the city in an SUV, standing to greet supporters through the sunroof. His security forces prevented the crowd from getting too close even as the vehicle moved slowly through the narrow alleys.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by senior BJP leaders, including the party president Amit Shah and Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
In 2014, the BJP won 71 seats there out of 80. Mr. Modi is expected to file his nomination papers on Friday. The Lok Sabha election is being held over 39 days from April 11 to May 19, with votes due to be counted on May 23. Varanasi will vote on the last day. The supporters of Mr. Modi spoke about his achievements.
“The city has become clean. There is electricity 24 hours now and there is water,” said 55-year-old Shyam Narayan Naik.
“No other party will be able to win here,” added Mr. Narayan, who runs a textile shop in the city that was shut on Thursday as Mr. Modi’s 5 km-long road show passed by.
‘Namo again’
The city was decorated with BJP flags and saffron-coloured balloons. Sounds of drums and songs praising the Prime Minister grew louder as he arrived.
Supporters wore “Namo again” t-shirts or masks with his photograph while others dressed as Hindu gods and goddesses.
“I think this time he’s trying to send the signal that he’s now far more confident; he doesn’t need the Gujarat seat and therefore he’s standing only from U.P.,” said Sudha Pai, referring to the other seat Mr. Modi won and gave up in 2014. Mr. Pai, a former political science professor at New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University, closely tracks politics in Uttar Pradesh.