Lucknow: BJP is leading in all the five Assembly segments of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency of Varanasi. According to an EC report, BJP candidate Saurabh Srivatsava is leading by a margin of around 1,500 votes against Congress' Anil Srivastava from Varanasi (Cantonment), while sitting BJP member Ravindra Jaiswal was surging ahead by about 10,000 votes against his BSP candidate Sujeet from Varanasi (North) seat.
In the crucial Varanasi (South), where the BJP was bit shaky after denying ticket to eight-time MLA Shyamdeo Rai Choudhury, the new entrant Neelkanth Tiwari was ahead by 2000 votes against former MP and Congress candidate Rajesh Tiwari. In Sevapuri seat, Apna Dal (Sonelal) candidate Neelratan Patel, an alliance partner of BJP, was leading by 5,000 votes against Surendra Singh Patel, while in Rohaniya seat, BJP's Surendra Narain was leading against sitting SP candidate Mahendra Singh Patel by over 5,000 votes.
During his campaigning, the PM extensively canvassed in his constituency by addressing three election meetings and holding two roadshows during which he paid obeisance to Kashi Vishwanath and Kaal Bhairavi temples. (UNI)