In a prelude to filing his nomination papers for the Lok Sabha elections 2019 from Varanasi constituency in Uttar Pradesh later on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a gathering of BJP workers said, “pro-incumbency wave is seen in the country for the first time since Independence”.

“I have been travelling across the country since the past one and half months and gauging the elections. I, Amit Shah, and Yogi Adityanath are just karyakartas (workers), it is the people who are fighting the elections this time,” he said.

“The political pundits, after the polls, will be analysing how the nation is witnessing a ‘pro-incumbency’ wave for the first time after independence,” he added.

Addressing the party workers, the PM said the entire country wants ‘Modi sarkar’ again.

He said electing the government is in the hands of the citizens but running the government is the party’s duty.

Repeating his poll ‘mantra’ in a bid to encourage the party workers, PM Modi said, “I will not enjoy winning the elections if my workers lose at any of the polling booths. There should only be one ‘mantra’ now: Mera booth, sabse mazboot. (My booth, the strongest)”.

Exuding confidence, PM Modi said the media will no longer have any interest in the Varanasi election as they will also assume that Modi has won.

Advising the BJP workers on how to campaign without any expenses, PM Modi said, “I want to tell you how to cut costs. Every party worker should be responsible for 10 families. Start visiting homes of these voters (as a part of door-to-door campaigns), have breakfast with them, they will offer you tea, you can read their newspaper. Without any expenses, you would be spreading the word”.

The Prime Minister further asked the first-time voters to read the NaMo app.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the people of Varanasi are lucky as they are voting for the Prime Minister while other constituencies are choosing their MPs.

Home Minister Rajnath too exuded confidence in the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the ok Sabha polls saying that NDA will get a 3/4th majority in the country.

PM Modi will visit the famous Kal Bhairav temple in Varanasi after which he will go to the collectorate to file his nomination papers.

National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders, including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, are expected to be in attendance when the PM files his nomination papers in Varanasi.

Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a massive roadshow in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi.

Starting from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), where the PM paid tributes to Bharat Ratna Madan Mohan Malviya, the roadshow ended at Dashashwamedh Ghat, where the PM performed the ‘Ganga aarti’.

The PM was accompanied by BJP president Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and a bevy of other BJP leaders at the ghat.

Modi, who contested and won from Varanasi for the first time in 2014, is looking for a second term in office as Prime Minister of India.

In 2014, the PM had won from both Varanasi and Vadodara. He left the seat in Gujarat and retained the one in UP, where the BJP won 70 of the 80 seats. The PM had polled 56 per cent of all votes in Varanasi winning with a massive margin of 3.37 lakh votes in 2014.