Ma Ganga has called me to Varanasi, says Modi filing nomination

Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Thursday filed his nomination papers from Varanasi Lok Sabha seat, saying he had been called by "mother Ganga" to contest from this holy city.

He filed the papers after conducting a road show in the city.

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Among those who proposed his nomination were Madan Mohan Malaviya's grandson Giridhar Malaviya, Padma Vibhushan awardee Chhandu Lal Mishra, boatman Virbhadra Nishad and Ashok, from the dominant weaver community.

Talking to reporters before filing his papers, Modi said he felt "Mother Ganga" has called him to contest from this constituency.

"...Earlier I used to think that the BJP has sent me here, sometimes I felt that I am going to Kashi. But after coming here, I feel neither has anybody sent me nor have I come on my own. It is mother Ganga who has called me.

"And the way a child feels when he is back in his mother's lap, the same way I feel here," said the Gujarat chief minister who is also contesting from Vadodara in his home state.

He vowed to make Kashi a spiritual capital of the world.

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"God... give me strength, so that I can work for the city, for my poor weaver brothers...so that Kashi can become a spiritual capital of the world," Modi said.

The BJP leader sought to project common links between his birthplace in Vadnagar in Gujarat and Varanasi, saying both were pilgrim centres for worshippers of Lord Shiva.

Modi also sought to reach out to the weaver community of Varanasi (also called Banaras), which makes up a sizeable section of the population in this constituency and many of them are Muslims.

He said if he becomes the prime minister, he would provide encouragement to them in various ways so that their business could grow and expand.

"I can say about the weavers here. This is a valuable 'amanat' (legacy). Technological upgradation, marketing, branding, designing will be provided...If we create all these support bases, I don't see any reason why Kashi weavers would not be able to take on Chinese competition," he said.

To buttress his point, he said after he became the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he had provided encouragement to poor Muslims engaged in kite business and their commerce had grown manifold.

"I did some research. Though no state government would pat attention to kites, I studied and found kites used to travel to 24 places before it could be produced," Modi said.

After taking certain steps, the kite industry, which was worth Rs 35 crore in 2002, has now grown to Rs 700 crore.

"And all the poor Muslim brothers-sisters sit in their huts and produce kites," he added.

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He also said that there is talk about holistic healthcare across the world and such products were in demand. These require global marketing.

He also spoke of his intention to work for the improvement of river Ganga saying and highlighted his work on Sabarmati river front.

"The way Mahatama Gandhi got to be known as 'Sabarmati ka Sant'....I had a chance to work on Sabarmati. And even if you watch on the internet, you will get to see what kind of work can be done. God should give me strength to work and the whole should hail Mother Ganges and Kashi," he said.

"I have got a chance to serve this land where Buddha had given this message, this land of Varnasi Sarnath, this land of 'Bhole Baba', this land where the powers of 'sankatmochak' are limitless and my mind says Mother Ganga has called me here," the BJP leader said.

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Modi supporters gathered in huge numbers and raised slogans in support of the Gujarat chief minister as he approached the polling station.

Modi also paid tribute to former Congress president Madan Mohan Malviya, spiritual thinker Swami Vivekananda and Dr B R Ambedkar, the architect of India's Constitution, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first home minister, as he filed his nomination.

The BJP leader is facing electoral challenges from Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party, Ajai Rai of the Congress and candidates of the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Samajwadi Party and Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress.

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Thousands of people wearing saffron caps, Modi masks and holding BJP flags, lined up along Nadesar, Andhrapaul, Lahurabeer and Cant area in the heart of the city through which he carried out his road show before filing the nomination.

The BJP made elaborate arrangement to make the road show a show of strength and create a momentum for the party’s Prime Ministerial candidate.

The BJP supporters had started gathering along Modi’s route since morning to have a glimpse of Modi.

Large number of people were seen on rooftops and balconies of all buildings along Modi's route.

BJP units in all the 90 wards in the city reached the venue of the road show by carrying out procession from their respective wards.

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The party invited all sections of people to the road show and specifically requested the citizens from Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, residing in Varanasi, to come in their traditional attire. 

Madan Mohan Malaviya's grandson Giridhar Malaviya, a retired judge of the Allahabad high court, proposed Modi's nomination.

Among the other Modi proposers were Vibhushan Chhandu Lal Mishra, a noted classical singer of Benaras, boatman Virbhadra Nishad and Ashok, representing the dominant weaver community in Varanasi.