Prime Minister Narendra Modi has secured his third consecutive victory from Varanasi in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Modi triumphed over Congress’s Ajay Rai by a margin of 152,513 votes. PM Modi garnered 612,970 votes, while Ajay Rai, representing the INDIA bloc, received 460,457 votes.
This win reinforces Modi’s stronghold in Varanasi, a constituency he has represented since 2014. In previous elections, Modi defeated AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal in 2014 by over 400,000 votes and Samajwadi Party’s Shalini Yadav in 2019. Ajay Rai, who contested against Modi in the last two elections, placed third previously but posed a significant challenge this time.
During the election campaign, Modi’s strategy and his government’s achievements were central to his appeal, aiming for a record margin victory. Despite stiff competition from the INDIA bloc, led by Congress and supported by various regional parties, Modi’s popularity in Varanasi remained unshaken.
In the broader context of Uttar Pradesh, significant electoral battles unfolded. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi led in Rae Bareli, while Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav led in Kannauj. BJP’s Hema Malini and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also maintained their leads in Mathura and Lucknow, respectively. However, Union Minister Smriti Irani trailed behind Congress’s Kishori Lal Sharma in Amethi.
The NDA, comprising BJP and its allies like Apna Dal (Sonelal) and Jayant Chaudhary’s RLD, contested vigorously against the INDIA bloc. Despite a neck-and-neck battle in key constituencies, Modi’s victory in Varanasi underscores his continued influence and the electorate’s support in his constituency.
