Varanasi: PM Modi vs Akhilesh's roadshow; PM's tea stall trip, Kashi Vishwanath prayers before last phase

Ahead of the last phase of voting in Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi turned ground zero for the poll battle, with both Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Opposition leader Akhilesh Yadav holding clashing roadshows.

Varanasi is Prime Minister Modi's Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi, and he is camping there for 3 days ahead of Phase 7 voting. Huge crowds gathered on the ancient temple town's streets to cheer as the PM went past waving from his convoy. Modi's roadshow was reportedly 3 km long. Flowers were showered on the Prime Minister from people gathered on rooftops. A large number of BJP flags waved from the crowd.

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Subsequently, PM Modi visited the historic Kashi Vishwanath temple, where he offered prayers inside the sanctum sanctorum. The sanctum was reportedly covered with real gold in a recent makeover. 37 kilograms of the precious metal were reportedly used to ornamentalise the walls.

PM Modi also stopped for tea at a stall during the Varanasi outing. He was seen sipping tea from a 'kulhad' which is a cup made from clay. Later, PM Modi garlanded a statue of Madan Mohan Malviya, a freedom fighter and educator who founded the Banaras Hindu University in 1916.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also held a roadshow in the temple town. Huge crowds waving the red and green flag of the SP were seen surrounding Akhilesh's convoy. A day earlier, West Bengal CM and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee had campaigned in Varanasi for the Akhilesh-led Opposition alliance.

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