VARANASI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a mega roadshow and "Ganga aarti" in Varanasi on Thursday, a day before filing his nomination from the Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha constituency on April 26. 


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The roadshow will witness NDA's show of strength and unity with top leaders of BJP and its allies along with several state Chief Ministers accompanying PM Modi.


Bharatiya Janata Party national president Amit Shah, Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj, Piyush Goyal and other party leaders Lakshman Acharya, Sunil Oza and Ashutosh Tandon will accompany the PM. NDA leaders including Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Shiromani Akali Dal chief Parkash Singh Badal, Lok Jan Shakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan as well as many prominent leaders of North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) will reach the temple city to mark the occasion.


The Prime Minister will land at Varanasi`s Babatpur airport around 2 pm on Thursday and head towards Kal Bhairo temple. The roadshow will begin at around 3 pm from the Lanka Gate of Benaras Hindu University (BHU), where the PM Modi will garland Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya's statue.


PM's vehicle will pass through 150 areas of the temple town, including Muslim-dominated areas of Madanpura and Sonarpura. It will take the following route:


BHU (Lanka Gate) - Ravidas Gate - Assi Chauraha - Bhadaini - Shivalaya - Sonarpura - Pandey Haveli - Madanpura - Jangambadi - Godolia - Kashi Vishwanath - Dashashwamedh Ghat. The roadshow will end at around 6:30 pm in the evening with “Ganga aarti” at Dashashwamedh Ghat.



Later in the evening, the PM will hold dialogue with 3000 intellectuals – those who have excelled in their field. He will also talk to people from all sections of society as part of his 'Mission All' program. This meeting will be held at the city's Hotel de Paris.


Before visiting Varanasi, PM Modi will also address rallies in Bihar's Darbhanga at 10 am and Uttar Pradesh's Banda at 1 pm.


Security has been beefed up in the entire temple town. Small drones have also been deployed to keep an eye on activities.