Grandson of freedom fighter Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Giridhar Malaviya, is likely to be one of the proposers of Narendra Modi's nomination in the temple town here on April 24.
Giridhar Malaviya, a former judge, told PTI over the phone from Allahabad that he was contacted by local BJP functionaries around 3 weeks ago.
"I received a phone call by BJP functionaries 2-3 weeks ago, requesting me to be the proposer for the nomination of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi, and I had agreed to their request," said 77-year-old Giridhar.
"Modi holds the value of Indian traditional system, its culture and religion. He will lead the country forward and will strengthen its economy as the PM," he said.
BJP state president Lakshmi Kant Bajpai, however, said the names of the proposers of Modi had not been finalised yet, though the local unit of the party was contacting various personalities for this.
Malaviya said he presently lived in Allahabad with his family, but his ancestral house was in Varanasi.
Bajpai said, "Before filing his nomination paper on April 24, Modi will first land at the helipad of Banars Hindu University and then go to pay tributes to a statue of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya. He will then go to Kashi Vidyapeeth and garland a statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel."
"After this, he will hold a roadshow of nearly one and a half kms in an open jeep, which will end near the district election office, where he will file his nomination papers around 12 noon," added Bajpai.
The BJP local unit has also reportedly contacted renowned classical singer and Padma Bhushan awardee Pandit Chhanu Lal Mishra for being a proposor for Modi's nomination.
"I was contacted by BJP with the request that I should be the proposor of Narendra Modi's nomination. I have agreed to the request," Mishra said.
