Mr Modi remains roundly popular in India, in large part due to his cultivated image as an aggressive champion of the country's majority faith.
Varanasi is the spiritual capital of Hinduism, where devotees from around India come to cremate dead loved ones by the Ganges River, and the Premier has represented the city since sweeping to power a decade ago.
"I swear on God... I will have faith and allegiance to India's Constitution," Mr Modi said before handing over the paperwork to an election registrar, flanked by a Hindu mystic dressed in a loincloth.
Hundreds of supporters had gathered to applaud Mr Modi outside a local government office where he lodged his nomination, at the end of a two-day campaign stop packed with numerous public displays of worship.
This story is from the May 15, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
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This story is from the May 15, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
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