Narendra Modi
PM Narendra Modi held a road show in the holy city of Varanasi on Saturday ahead of the last phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh.IANS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited his parliamentary constituency Varanasi as Uttar Pradesh enters its final phase of elections scheduled to take place on March 8.

He took part in a road-show from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) to the Town Hall in Varanasi. The PM also stopped at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple to offer his prayers and conduct a puja.

Here are all the updates: 

8:53 pm IST: PM Modi's speech ends. He leaves for the airport to depart for New Delhi. He has promised to return to the city of Varanasi on Sunday.

8:52 pm IST: PM Modi, in his speech at the Town Hall in Varanasi, said that he wants to build a cleaner, greener and more prosperous Uttar Pradesh with Varanasi at the forefront. Taking a jibe at the Akhilesh Yadav-led government for not implementing the Centre's schemes, Modi said that his goal would be to provide 24-hours of electricity, cleaner and better roads and a cleaner River Ganga in the state.

8:42 pm IST: " The election result is decided. We will form the government. But the focus must be on the republic. Our strength will be the republic," says PM Modi

8:41 pm IST: "I will be here tomorrow and spend time with party workers, those of them who have toiled here," PM Modi addresses election rally at Town Hall

8:40 pm IST: " The governments that are on the banks of Ganga, need to take action against those polluting it... We have tried to reduce pollution in small measures such as e-rickshaws and e-boats," says PM Modi

8:36 pm IST: " The Centre gives money to the UP state government, but they do not spend it nor account for it. Should they not give us a tally paise by paise of how that money is being spent?" asks PM Modi at Town Hall rally.

8:30 pm IST: " The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana has cut down your medical expenses by reducing the cost of 800 medicines. Now, you spend only Rs 700," says the PM

8:28 pm IST: "I have allotted Rs 500 crore for solid waste management," says Modi.

8:26 pm IST: "We will ensure 24 hours of continuous electricity supply. I don't need to swear by the Ganga river; it will be done... They spread lies about 24x7 power supply. But during their temple visit today, there was power outage... Due to our push for LED bulbs, Rs 11,000 crore has been saved," says PM Modi

8:20 pm IST: "Since Atal Bihari Vajpayee's time, there has been talk of a ring road. Finally, we got it done. Can you see it? Akhilesh Yadav can't see it," PM Modi in Varanasi

8:17 pm IST: "I have made Kashi my 'Karya Kshetra' so that we can regain the pride of the region. Kashi is not just a city, it is a symbol of humanity. Our effort is to build an 'Uttam Kashi'," PM Modi in Varanasi

8:05 pm IST: PM Modi begins address in Varanasi by saying: "I want to stay one night in my constituency, amid my people... All of you work very hard. It is then my duty to work just as hard, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with you"

6:20 pm IST: Deputy Election Commissioner Vijay Dev has said at a press conference: "We have just now received the complaint [regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi]. We will ascertain the facts.

5:25 pm IST: The SP is now singing the Congress' tune. SP leader Rajendra Choudhary echoes Mittal when saying Modi has violated the poll code.

5 pm IST: The Congress has said the roadshow by Modi in UP is against the Model Code of Conduct. In a complaint to the Election Commission (EC), Congress leader KC Mittal has said Modi did not have permission to conduct the roadshow.

4:45 pm IST: PM Modi will now return to Varanasi to address an election rally at the Town Hall.

4:05 pm IST: Modi concludes his speech by saying, "Bharat Mata ki Jai".

4:02 pm IST: "Akhilesh keeps talking about the Lucknow-Agra expressway. I tell him, why don't you seat your new friend (Rahul Gandhi) on your cycle and travel the distance between villages. Will he be able to?" says PM Modi in Jaunpur

4 pm IST: "Today I am fighting a battle against corruption, black money. But SP, Congress, BSP is shouting. I ask them, what's the problem? Those who have looted the nation, won't they pay for their sins?" asks PM Modi

3:58 pm IST: "Those who have taken your land illegally, they wont be coming out of jail for seven years," says PM Modi

3:55 pm IST: "When people do good, they say Gayatri Mantra. But here, it is called Gayatri Prajapati mantri," says PM Modi referring to the state minister accused of rape

3:54 pm IST: "Are the sisters and daughters of UP safe? After sunset in Jaunpur, do any daughters or sisters get out of homes? Who is responsible for this (state of affairs)? Shouldn't their security be taken care off?" says PM Modi at election rally in Jaunpur

3:53 pm IST: "We promise to fix your problems if you gift us an electoral win on March 11," says the PM

3:52 pm IST: "We have given money, but it is just sitting there. The state government isn't spending it on Jaunpur," says PM Modi

3:51 pm IST: Do you have electricity for 24 hours? The Centre has given money to afford electricity, but here in Jaunpur there is no electricity

3:50 pm IST: "Give us such a victory, give me such a gift that nobody can stake claim to UP. After five years, you can ask me what I have done for the state, and I will show you what I have done," says PM Modi in Jaunpur

3:49 pm IST: Will waive loans of small farmers, says PM Modi.

3:46 pm IST: "I have seen poverty. I was born in poverty. I was raised in poverty. So I decided for these poor mothers who struggle over the wooden stove, I would give these 5 crore people gas cylinders and connections... Poor mothers have been given freedom from the wood-fire stove," says PM Modi

3:45 pm IST: "Around 150 villages in UP were in the darkness in the years since independence. We brought electricity to these villages," says PM Modi

3:41 pm IST: "It's unfortunate that some parties are raising fingers at jawans after surgical strikes. Congress wanted surgical strikes proof. Those who question surgical strikes come to Jaunpur and ask the families of martyrs. Why politicise issues of national security," says PM Modi in Jaunpur

3:39 pm IST: "For 40 years our forces demanded One Rank One Pension, but nothing happened. I had promised that BJP government will deliver on OROP and we did," says PM Modi at an election rally in Jaunpur

3:28 pm IST: "When the Indian Army conducted surgical strikes, they destroyed terrorist camps across the border. And before sunrise, all jawans came back to India," says PM Modi.

3:27 pm IST: "People sacrificing their lives even today for the safety of 'Ma Bharathi'," says PM Modi in Jaunpur election rally.

3:22 pm IST: PM Modi reaches Jaunpur to address an election rally. 

3:11 pm IST: PM Modi tweets video of the roadshow in Varanasi

3:09 pm IST: PM Modi's itinerary:

3:07 pm IST: 

3:05 pm IST: 

3 pm IST: Mayawati targets BJP saying that the party has not even declared a chief ministerial candidate.

2:47 pm IST: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav organise joint road show in Varanasi soon after PM Modi's roadshow concluded.

2:41 pm IST: "In roadshows of both the BJP and the SP-Congress today in Varanasi, most of the crowd are onlookers," says Mayawati in Varanasi

2:40 pm IST:

2:31 pm IST: PM Modi will now head to the BHU helipad from where he will fly to Jaunpur district to address an election rally. He will, then come back to Varanasi for the rally in Town Hall in the evening.

2:30 pm IST: PM Modi's roadshow has come to an end. He will address two election rallies at Jaunpur and Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth. The roadshow began from the BHU gate around 10:50 am and concluded at Bhairo Naath Chauraha in Maidagini area.

2:23 pm IST:

2:21 pm IST:

2:07 pm IST:

2:03 pm IST:

1:49 pm IST: 

1:35 pm IST: Pictures from inside the temple where the prime minister will perform a puja.

1:25 pm IST: PM Modi has reached the Kashi Vishwanath temple to offer prayers and perform a puja at the temple.

1:23 pm IST:

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