Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
– Photo: Amar Ujala
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By filing nomination from Varanasi parliamentary seat for the third time on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has equaled the first PM of independent India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Bharat Ratna Pandit Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Both the former Prime Ministers had contested elections from their respective constituencies (same Lok Sabha) and won with huge votes. Now Modi has equalized the election for the third time as PM by contesting from the same Lok Sabha seat.
Pandit Nehru was MP from Phulpur seat of Prayagraj district thrice in 1951-52, 1957 and 1962 and all three times he took over the reins of the country as Prime Minister. Pandit Nehru had the honor of becoming the first Prime Minister of the country. Although Bharat Ratna Pandit Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been MP from Lucknow five times, but after becoming MP in 1996, 1998 and 1999, he got the honor of holding the post of Prime Minister.
Now Narendra Modi was elected MP of Varanasi in 2014 and 2019. Both times, governments were formed at the Center with a strong majority under his leadership. By filing nomination from Varanasi again for the third time, Modi has equaled both the former Prime Ministers of contesting elections from the same Lok Sabha seat three times in a row.