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India Prime Minister Narendra Modi submitted his candidacy to recontest the parliamentary seat for the Hindu holy city of Varanasi – Copyright AFP Sajjad HUSSAIN<\/small><\/em><\/p>\nAbhaya SRIVASTAVA<\/em><\/p>\nIndia Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday formally submitted his candidacy to recontest the parliamentary seat for the Hindu holy city of Varanasi in a general election he is widely expected to win.<\/p>\n
The marathon six-week poll concludes next month, and the 73-year-old premier used the election formality as a campaign event that paid deference to the country\u2019s majority faith.<\/p>\n
Varanasi is the spiritual capital of Hinduism, where devotees from around India come to cremate deceased loved ones by the Ganges river, and the premier has represented the city since sweeping to power a decade ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hundreds of supporters had gathered outside a local government office to greet Modi when he arrived to lodge his nomination.<\/p>\n
Footage showed the premier handing over his candidacy paperwork, flanked by a Hindu mystic.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s our good fortune that Modi represents our constituency of Varanasi,\u201d devout Hindu and farmer Jitendra Singh Kumar, 52, told AFP while waiting for the leader to emerge.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is like a God to people of Varanasi. He thinks about the country first, unlike other politicians.\u201d<\/p>\n
Modi, who has made acts of religious worship a central fixture of his premiership, had spent the morning visiting temples and offering prayers at the banks of the Ganges.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tens of thousands of supporters had lined the streets of Varanasi to greet Modi as\u00a0he arrived in the city on Monday atop a flatbed truck, waving to the crowd from atop a flatbed truck as loudspeakers blared devotional songs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Many along the roadside waved saffron-coloured flags bearing the emblem of his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), throwing marigold flowers at the procession as it passed by.<\/p>\n
\u2013 \u2018Not wanted\u2019 \u2013<\/p>\n
Modi and the BJP are widely expected to win this year\u2019s election, which is conducted over six weeks to ease the immense logistical burden of staging the democratic exercise in the world\u2019s most populous country.<\/p>\n
Varanasi is one of the last constituencies to vote on June 1, with counting and results expected three days later.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Since the vote began last month, Modi has made a number of strident comments against India\u2019s 200-million-plus Muslim minority in an apparent effort to galvanise support.<\/p>\n
He has used public speeches to refer to Muslims as \u201cinfiltrators\u201d and \u201cthose who have more children\u201d, prompting condemnation from opposition politicians and complaints to India\u2019s election commission.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The ascent of Modi\u2019s Hindu-nationalist politics despite India\u2019s officially secular constitution has made the Muslims in the country increasingly anxious.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are made to feel as if we are not wanted in this country,\u201d Shauqat Mohamed, who runs a tea shop in the city, told aFP.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the country\u2019s premier speaks of us in disparaging terms, what else can we expect?\u201d the 41-year-old added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to accept our fate and move on.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Modi files candidacy for India election in Hindu holy city
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#Modi #files #candidacy #India #election #Hindu #holy #city<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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