Seeking a rare third successive tenure, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi filed his nomination from the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency in the most populous state of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday amidst high religious symbolism.

Varanasi will go to polls in the seventh and last phase of the Lok Sabha elections on 1 June, three days before counting is held on 4 June.
Modi filed his papers to the Returning Officer, who is the District Magistrate, at the Collectorate. He secured wins by big margin in the Hindu pilgrimage town of Varanasi in the last two general elections in 2014 and 2019.

Just ahead of filing the nomination, Modi offered prayers at Dasaswamedh Ghat on the banks of the Ganges in the constituency and visited the Kal Bhairav
temple. He also performed ‘aarati’ at the ghat amid chanting of Vedic mantras.
Modi was accompanied by senior leaders of his party BJP and its regional allies.
On Monday, Modi held a six-kilometre roadshow in Varanasi after which he said “the love and blessings showered by my family members of Kashi during the road show has become an unforgettable moment of my life.”