<p>BJP workers Thursday took to roads in Varanasi and protested the Election Commission's decision to deny its prime ministerial hopeful Narendra Modi permission to hold rallies in the city.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The party announced that all scheduled programmes of Modi for the day have been cancelled except for one rally. Modi is expected to address a public meeting in Rohaniya assembly constituency.<br /><br />The district administration had initially denied permission for all programmes, including a rally at Beniabagh. In a decision late Wednesday, it allowed Modi to hold some of the programmes.<br /><br />But BJP general secretary Amit Shah said the approval came too late and they had no time to prepare for meetings. Hence, the party had decided to cancel the events.<br /><br />Modi will arrive at the Babatpur airport in Varanasi by noon Thursday and will be taken to the Rohaniya rally venue in a chopper. He will then drive through the city to go to the party office where he will meet party workers.<br /><br />Earlier, Modi had tweeted that he was sad as he was not allowed to take part in the Ganga Aarti at Assi Ghat.<br /><br />The Gujarat chief minister also appealed Bharatiya Janata Party workers to remain calm and maintain discipline.<br /><br />Senior BJP leaders led by Arun Jaitley, Ananth Kumar, state president Laxmikant Bajpai and Amit Shah will stage a sit-in outside the Banaras Hindu University gate, protesting against the poll panel.<br /></p>
<p>BJP workers Thursday took to roads in Varanasi and protested the Election Commission's decision to deny its prime ministerial hopeful Narendra Modi permission to hold rallies in the city.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The party announced that all scheduled programmes of Modi for the day have been cancelled except for one rally. Modi is expected to address a public meeting in Rohaniya assembly constituency.<br /><br />The district administration had initially denied permission for all programmes, including a rally at Beniabagh. In a decision late Wednesday, it allowed Modi to hold some of the programmes.<br /><br />But BJP general secretary Amit Shah said the approval came too late and they had no time to prepare for meetings. Hence, the party had decided to cancel the events.<br /><br />Modi will arrive at the Babatpur airport in Varanasi by noon Thursday and will be taken to the Rohaniya rally venue in a chopper. He will then drive through the city to go to the party office where he will meet party workers.<br /><br />Earlier, Modi had tweeted that he was sad as he was not allowed to take part in the Ganga Aarti at Assi Ghat.<br /><br />The Gujarat chief minister also appealed Bharatiya Janata Party workers to remain calm and maintain discipline.<br /><br />Senior BJP leaders led by Arun Jaitley, Ananth Kumar, state president Laxmikant Bajpai and Amit Shah will stage a sit-in outside the Banaras Hindu University gate, protesting against the poll panel.<br /></p>