PM Modi performs Ganga aarti after roadshow in Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday undertook a mega roadshow in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi with thousands in attendance chanting the prime minister's name.

The roadshow was scheduled for a day before PM Modi sets out to file his nomination paper on Friday.

The PM's roadshow passed through the main areas of the temple town before culminating at Dashashwamedh Ghat where he participated in "Ganga Aarti".

After arriving at Varanasi's Babatpur airport, PM Modi headed to the helipad at Banaras Hindu University and took a car to reach Lanka, a place in the BHU.

The roadshow began from Lanka and moved to Dashashwamedh Ghat.

The authorities had deployed small drones to keep an eye on the ongoing activities in the roadshow.

The roadshow is expected to have stretched over 7 km. 

Before embarking on the roadshow PM Modi first paid respect to the statue of Madan Mohan Malviya at the location.

PM Modi was accompanied by several senior leaders of the party including union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj, Piyush Goyal and others.

Varanasi will go the polls on May 19th in the seventh phase.

(With inputs from agencies)