Denied Ganga Pujan, Modi takes blessings from priests

BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi today took blessings from local priests and elders here after an over five-hour drive-through in this temple town following cancellation of a rally and a Ganga pujan programme.
Modi reached his central election office for Lok Sabha polls late tonight after driving through the city in his motorcade which took more than five hours on a route that normally takes just about half an hour.
People queued up in large number on both sides of his route, making it difficult for the motorcade to move.
Before proceeding to the airport, Modi spent some time at his election office where he thanked party workers and local leaders while priests also performed an 'aarti' for him, BJP leaders present there said.

Modi also took the priests' and other elders' blessings, they said, adding some Muslim leaders had also come to meet Modi.
BJP's senior leader Ananth Kumar said authorities had denied Modi permission for a public rally but the entire city today became a public rally.
Kumar said Modi took the blessings from priests of Varanasi at the election office although his wish to perform Ganga Pujan could not be fulfilled due to a "partisan" approach of the authorities.