Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now leading in the Varanasi constituency in Uttar Pradesh after initially trailing Congress' Ajay Rai. Early trends showed Ajay Rai with a lead of over 6,000 votes against PM Modi. However, Modi has since caught up and is now leading in the temple town.
Modi is seeking a third term from Varanasi, having won the seat in both 2014 and 2019. In 2019, he secured 6.74 lakh votes, a 63.9% vote share, defeating the Samajwadi Party’s Shalini Yadav. In 2014, he won with 5.81 lakh votes (56.4%) against AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal and Congress’ Ajay Rai.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, Modi faces Ajay Rai of Congress, while the BSP has fielded Athar Jamal Lari from Varanasi. The BJP is aiming for a record margin for Modi in Varanasi, while the opposition hopes to leverage anti-incumbency sentiments.