Lok Sabha polls 2014: Stop Modi`s chopper from landing at BHU, Congress tells EC

The visit of Bharatiya Janata Party`s prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, to Varanasi on Thursday where he will be filing his nomination papers for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, has already stirred controversy with the Congress approaching Election Commission.

Zee Media Bureau/Neha Attre

New Delhi: The visit of Bharatiya Janata Party`s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, to Varanasi on Thursday where he will be filing his nomination papers for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, has already stirred controversy with the Congress approaching Election Commission (EC). Modi will arrive at Lal Bahadur Shastri airport and then travel to Banaras Hindu University (BHU) by a helicopter. Congress has asked the EC to stop Modi`s helicopter from landing at BHU and using the premises of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth and Kashi Hindu Vishwa Vidyalaya as they are state and central universities respectively. According to the letter, the Congress has stated that in 2001, the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi were denied permission to use the premises for political purposes. Meanwhile, security has been strengthened and a special team from Gujarat has arrived in Varanasi to look after safety arrangements ahead of Modi`s visit. Over 1000 paramilitary forces have been deployed in the city and 85 police stations have been put on high alert. Additional security has also been deployed in areas of Banaras Hindu University, Kashi Vidyapeeth and Vishwanath temple which Modi is likely to visit. The Gujarat Chief Minister will be filing his nomination papers after holding a grand road show which is expected to be attended by lakhs of people. Meanwhile, BJP president Rajnath Singh and veteran leader LK Advani and sitting Varanasi MP Murli Mnaohar Joshi will not be present when Modi files his nomination. Aam Aadmi party leader Arvind Kejriwal and Congress candidate Ajay Rai will be contesting election against Modi in the constituency. While the last day of filing nominations is April 24, elections in Varanasi will be held on May 12.