Narendra Modi`s Varanasi roadshow: As it happened

Zee Media Bureau/Ajith Vijay Kumar

9:40 pm After meeting party workers at BJP office in Varanasi, Modi leaves for airport.

9:20 pm The roadshow from Banaras Hindu University to Sigra stadium took approximately 3 hours 12 minutes to complete.

9:15 pm After his rally in the temple town, Narendra Modi completes his trip to Varanasi with a 6 km-long roadshow and reaches BJP office.

8:10 pm Narendra Modi expected to reach party headquarters in Varanasi approximately in the next 30 to 40 minutes.

6:55 pm Narendra Modi will meet BJP workers at party headquarters in Varansi where his cavalcade is headed.

6:15 pm BJP`s 6 km roadshow begins in Varanasi with sea of supporters converging in the temple town. Modi`s convoy is headed towards BJP headquarters in Varanasi.

6:00 pm Narendra Modi`s cavalcade exits BHU to begin roadshow through the city, on its way to BJP`s Varanasi headquarters.

5:50 pm Modi`s roadshow will begin from the Banaras Hindu University where he is due anytime now.

5:15 pm Narendra Modi, after his rally in Rohania, is set to arrive at Banaras Hindu University where hundreds of BJP workers have gathered outside Lanka Gate.

5:02 pm Give me a strong government, I will give you a strong India – Narendra Modi

5 pm Send all the `Lotus` from UP, I assure that the country will get a strong government - Modi

4:55 pm

4:53 pm I don`t know what made Election Commission stop me. Will the world end if I don’t deliver a speech...my silence is more powerful than my words – Narendra Modi

4:52 pm I am bound by constitution but the people of the country wont tolerate it - Modi

4:51 pm When home minister Shinde and finance minister P Chidamabaram have asserted that there is no security threat to me then why have been denied permission (rally); it is an attack on my democratic rights - Modi

4:50 pm I would prefer to die than lie - Modi

4:42 pm The people who are against me have done match fixing leading to the EC denying permission to me - Modi

4:40 pm I don`t want to do politics based on caste, why are they dividing people on basis of caste – modi

4:38 pm People who have already lost the elections, they are not able to stand Modi any more...the people who were earlier targeting me over `chai` are now concerned about my caste – Narendra Modi

4:40 pm The `Maa-Bete` failed to live up to their promise that they will provide jobs to youth – Narendra Modi

4:36 pm More farmers have died in the last ten years than the number of soldiers who have dies in all wars since independence - Modi

4:35 pm I have the power to turnaround `Kashi` because you are standing with me - Modi

4:34 pm Tourism has very high growth potential. Every section of the society can gain through tourism, says Modi

4:32 pm Will work to develop the tourism potential of Banaras - Modi

4:31 pm I will turnaround the hand loom industry of Banaras within one year - Modi

4:30 pm Surat`s textile industry owes a lot to the weavers from B anaras. So why shouldn`t the weavers get the same opportunity here itself? - Modi

4:26 pm Can`t Varanasi regain its lost glory? I want to take forward the work started by Pt Madan Mohan Malviya – Modi

4:23 pm I have come here with one things and that`s development, I have no agenda other than development – Modi

4:21 pm Modi is not just your candidate but Modi is now shackled in bonds of love, he says

4:20 pm I will not your `tapasya` go in vain, will return your love by showering you with development – Modi in Rohaniya

4:10 pm Narendra Modi honours freedom fighter Col Nizamuddin (reportedly 115yrs old) of Azad Hind Fauj.

4:05 pm Narendra Modi arrived in Rohaniya, a rural assembly segment of Varanasi. He will address a rally shortly.

BJP has ended its `satyagraha` dharna ahead of Narendra Modi`s arrival in Varanasi. The prime ministerial aspirant, who is contesting from Varanasi, will embark on a sort of roadshow through the city after the EC and district administration denied him permission to hold a rally.

With BJP`s confrontation with Election Commission escalating further, Narendra Modi launched a direct attack on the poll panel. Addressing a rally in Azamgarh, Thursday, Modi accused the EC of being biased.

“There have been serious reports of gadbadi (rigging) in the last three phases of polls in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. I want to tell EC that I had warned you on 24th (April)...the common view is that you are not doing a good job in fulfilling your responsibilities,”he said.

“Isn`t the EC responsible to ensure this (no rigging). But the EC has failed in the last three phases and I am, with responsibility, accusing the EC of bias. EC is not neutral. It is believed EC is not performing duties in the way they should,” he added.

The BJP is holding parallel protest outside the Election Commission office in Delhi. Senior party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, Dr Harh Vardhan, Venkaiah Naidu met CVC VS Sampath and submitted a memorandum over the issue.

Senior BJP leaders Arun Jaitley and Amit Shah joined the thousands of party workers to sit on a `satyagraha` dharna against the Election Commission and district magistrate for denying permission to Narendra Modi to hold a rally in the city on Thursday.

District administration has imposed Section 144 in Varanasi. Roads leading to Lanka Gate area are being blocked by police even as a huge contingent of RAF is on standby at the protest site.

Hundreds of BJP workers have converged outside Lanka Gate of Banaras Hindu University to take part in `satyagraha` dharna against Election Commission.

Renewing his attack on the Election Commission, Arun Jaitely accused the poll panel of using the `security card` to deny Modi the right to campaign his constituency.

“If you (EC) can`t ensure safety, then don’t hold polls,” Jaitley said.

Ahead of his arrival in the holy city to steer his poll campaign, Modi tweeted his strong objection to what he called lack of concern in EC to maintain the institution`s neutrality.

It is unfortunate that EC is not concerned about the institution's neutrality & that is why our Karyakartas have to embark on a Satyagraha.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 8, 2014

I appeal to my Karyakarta sisters & brothers to maintain peace & ensure that people do not face any difficulty.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 8, 2014

My profound apologies to Ganga Maa for not being able to perform Aarti today. Wish these people know that a Mother's love is above politics.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 8, 2014

Responding to the allegations of bias, the EC said it was "disappointed" over BJP`s decision to hold protests after it denied permission to its prime ministerial aspirant Narendra Modi.

The Election Commission said: "The Commission is surprised and disappointed that your party has chosen to hold protests over the aforesaid matter, which was being sought to be resolved in accordance with law and the ground situation. As you may be aware, permissions for two out of the three programmes have since been issued by the District Magistrate. As regards the holding of a rally, the same was under discussion because of security and related concerns. In this whole matter, the commission decided not to go by the version conveyed by District Magistrate alone, but also consulted the state chief Secretary and Director General of Police, who endorsed the security and suitability aspects."

Modi will arrive at the helipad at the Banaras Hindu University and lead a roadshow of sorts to the BJP central election office at Sigra. The roadshow plan was devised after the district administration, yesterday, denied the BJP permission to hold a rally in Beniyabagh in the city. Modi was also denied permission to perform `Ganga Pujan` and meet 150 prominent citizens.

The district administration later allowed the `Ganga Pujan` and the interaction event but the BJP remained unimpressed and accused the district magistrate of bias against the BJP.

However, BJP`s UP in-charge Amit Shah said that the permission came too late and Modi`s `pujan` and rally plan remained cancelled as the party could not make preparations.

Modi would reach the BHU after addressing a rally at Rohaniya, a rural assembly segment of Varanasi. BJP`s alliance partner Apna Dal holds considerable sway in Rohaniya.