News Brief
PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reportedly expected to address a 'kisan sammelan' (farmers' conference) in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh on 18 June.
This could mark his first visit to Varanasi following his oath-taking for a third term on Sunday (9 June).
Local BJP leaders said that the venue for the conference is still being finalised, with options including Rohania and Sevapuri assembly constituencies.
A meeting of metropolitan and district officials took place at the party office in Gulab Bagh to discuss the preparations for PM Modi's visit.
BJP Kashi region president Dilip Patel said that PM Modi is likely to participate in the Ganga aarti at the Dashashwamedh Ghat during his one-day visit, India Today reported.
Patel added that BJP workers have been instructed to get ready for a grand welcome and that responsibilities for organising the farmers' conference are being assigned.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi retained his Varanasi seat for the third consecutive term, defeating Congress's Ajay Rai by a margin of over 1.5 lakh votes.
This will also be the Prime Minister's first visit to Uttar Pradesh after party's disappointing performance in the state in the Parliamentary polls, where it had been dominating in the previous two Lok Sabha elections.
BJP managed to secure only 33 seats out of 80 in Uttar Pradesh in 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a sharp decline from the 62 seats it bagged in 2019 Parliamentary polls, placing it behind the Samajwadi Party (SP), which secured 37 seats.