Hundreds of thousands of people cheered Narendra Modi's convoy as it moved through Varanasi
extra-ordinary road-show in Varanasi, which was the biggest in the world's largest election, has other parties deeply unhappy. The Congress has complained to the Election Commission that the rally, which saw Mr Modi covering two km in three hours, received so much media coverage on a day when voting was held in some parts of the country, that it violates the rules of campaigning. (
Varanasi at his side, Modi delivers biggest roadshow in world's largest election)
Mayawati, regional powerhouse from Uttar Pradesh, today added, "On a day of polling , the media was showing a one-sided Modi roadshow. This is against democracy." (
The Modi factor in Mayawati's balancing act)
The BJP says the griping proves that the "Modi wave" it has long claimed is a reality. "The Congress is unsettled by the response that Modi's procession got," said BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar. "The Election Commission has not banned the filing of nominations on dates of voting...so what was wrong with the procession?" he added.
Ajay Maken of the Congress has complained that the fact that Mr Modi, as part of his rally, garlanded the statues of iconic Hindu leaders amounts to courting votes on the basis of religion. (
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"There is nothing religious about it, it's about nationalism," retorted Mr Javadekar.
Hundreds of thousands of people ignored the searing heat to watch and cheer Mr Modi's convoy as it moved through the city, which votes on May 12, four days before the results of the national election will be announced. (
Watch: 'Ma Ganga' has called me to Varanasi, says Modi)
Waving from an open-topped truck under a scorching sun, Mr Modi was greeted with a rapturous amalgam of conch shells, saffron caps and flags, drums and rose petals. (
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Under him, the BJP is expected to hit its best-ever electoral performance; the Congress, fronted by
Rahul Gandhi, may accrue its biggest defeat, say opinion polls including NDTV's.