Bhim Army chief to contest against Modi in Varanasi

Bhim Army, an SC outfit, president Chandrashekhar alias Ravan on Saturday held a roadshow in Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of prime minister Narendra Modi and declared that he would be contesting against the latter.

Accompanied by a large number of the outfit's workers and members of the SC community, Chandrashekhar began his roadshow from Nadesar area amid tight security.

Chanting 'Jai Bheem', the workers passed through the dense localities of Lahurabir, Kabirchaura and Maidagin.

''The BJP government has only favoured the rich...it has waived loans of the industrialists worth hundreds of crores,'' Chandrashekhar alleged while addressing his supporters.

The students of a local college also waived black flags as the roadshow of the SC leader passed by Maidagin area. Police arrested two students in this connection, sources said.

It was not clear if Chandrashekhar would also be getting the support of the opposition parties. None of the major opposition players has so far declared its candidate from Varanasi.

Congress' star campaigner and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had recently met Chandrashekhar at a hospital in Meerut, where he had been admitted following complaint of chest pain.

Though Priyanka had then said that no ''political meaning'' should be derived from the meeting, the presence of Congress nominee from Saharanpur LS seat at the hospital fuelled speculations about a possible tie-up between Bheem Army and the grand old party in the state in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Chandrashekhar had shot into limelight after he led protests in Saharanpur and some other western UP districts following the killing of two members of the SC community in clashes with the powerful 'Thakur' community members last year.