"First Time Filed Nomination Without Mother's Blessings": PM In Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, remembered his mother during his address in Varanasi and said that it is the first time, he filed the nomination from the constituency without taking her blessings.

He further said that he was called to Kashi by 'Maa Ganga' and she has 'adopted' him.

Prime Minister Modi was addressing the 'Nari Shakti Samvad Program' in Varanasi.

Prior to his address, he greeted the people while sitting in a specially designed vehicle. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also accompanied him during the roadshow.

"This is the first time I have filed my nomination for Kashi without the blessings of my mother. Maa Ganga is my mother that is why I said that Maa Ganga had first called me to Kashi and now Maa Ganga has adopted me," PM Modi said in his address.

He emphasised that it is the first time that women have been brought to the centre stage of policymaking in the country.

"For the first time in the country's history; mothers, sisters, women have come at centre stage of policymaking...this is an important factor in India's success story...You tell me, when the house cannot run without you, how can the country be run without you? This thing was not understood by the governments for 60 years. The Congress and SP governments gave only neglect and insecurity to women," PM Modi said.

"What did the Congress and SP governments do to women... They only neglected them. The mentality of the INDI alliance is anti-women. The INDI Alliance opposes Women's Reservations," he added.

PM Modi is a two-time MP from Varanasi. Winning the seat with a resounding majority in 2014 and 2019, he is seeking a third straight win from the constituency. The voting here will be held on June 1 in the last phase. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.

This time he is facing Congress candidate Ajay Rai, who is the opposition INDIA bloc's joint nominee against the Prime Minister.

Further in his address, PM Modi also slammed the INDIA bloc over Rahul Gandhi's 'Shakti' remark and said that his government is going to turn this 'Shakti' into "mahashakti".

"Leaders of the INDI alliance openly say that they will destroy the 'Shakti' of Hindus, but after June 4, Modi government will make your 'shakti' as 'maha shakti'...I am continuously working for the public. With your blessings, neither I stop or get tired. My only aim is to reduce any problem faced by my 140 crore people," Prime Minister Modi added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)