LIVE: Modi reaches Khajuri, to address rally shortly

Gujarat Chief Minister and prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi will address Vijay Shankhnaad Rally at Khajuri in Varanasi on Friday.

After a change in his itinerary for security reasons, President of state BJP Laxmi Kant Bajpai had confirmed that Modi will land at helipad and take land routes to visit the Sankatmochan and Vishwanath temples in Varanasi first. After offering prayers, he will head to the Khajuri ground to address the public rally that is scheduled to begin at 1 pm.

Citing security reasons, Varanasi district administration had on Thursday requested Narendra Modi to visit the temples before the rally, as after the rally people will swarm to religious places for Juma Namaz.

"The Varanasi city is of narrow lanes, nearly three lakh people are expected to visit the city on Friday causing a lot of rush. Being Friday, when Juma namaz is offered due to which security deployment would be needed, making it a difficult task for the police", DM had said.