As the country prepares for the final phases of the 2024 general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Varanasi today to hold a ‘Matri Shakti Sammelan’ (women empowerment gathering) on June 1st. The event will see him interact with over 25,000 women in his Varanasi parliamentary constituency, where he is seeking a third consecutive victory. The development comes after the fifth phase of voting concluded on May 20th, with over 57% voter turnout recorded across 49 constituencies in six states and two Union territories. Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency registered its highest polling percentage in nearly four decades, with over 54% voter turnout. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Yogender Chandoliya has dismissed opposition claims that his party is against the ideals of B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of India’s Constitution, highlighting the party’s respect for Dalit leaders.