Visiting his Varanasi constituency which elected him to the Lok Sabha for a third consecutive time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said it appears that mother Ganga has now adopted him.

He was addressing a PM Kisan Samman Sammelan, where he released the Rs 20,000 crore 17th installment of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi for more than 9.26 crore farmers.

"The people of Varanasi have not only chosen me as MP for a third time but also as prime minister," Modi said on his first visit to his constituency after the Lok Sabha polls.

He won from Varanasi with a margin of 1,52,513 votes in the 2024 polls, less than his nearly 4.8 lakh margin in 2019.

The prime minister said the mandate given by the people in this Lok Sabha election is truly unprecedented and has created history, and added that the first decision of the new government related to farmers and the poor.

"I consider farmers, women, the youth and the poor strong pillars of 'Viksit Bharat'," Modi said.

Referring to his reelection from the constituency in Uttar Pradesh, he said, "With the blessings of Baba Vishwanath and Maa Ganga, and the immense love of the people of Kashi, I have got the privilege of becoming the country's 'pradhan sevak' for the third time." He said the people of Kashi have blessed him by electing him as their representative for the third consecutive time and added that "'ab to Maa Ganga ne bhee jaise mujhe god le liya hai, main yaheen ka ho gaya hoon (Now, it seems as if Mother Ganga has also adopted me, I have become one of this place".

It is very rare in democratic countries for governments to be elected for a third consecutive term but the people of India did this, he said.

The people of Varanasi, Modi said, have not only chosen his as an MP for a third time but also as prime minister.

He also asserted that agriculture will play big role in making 21st century India third largest economic power in world. After being sworn-in as prime minister, Modi signed his first file authorising the release of the 17th installment of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.

The prime minister said decisions like building more than three crore houses for poor families or extending the PM Kisan Samman scheme across the country will help many.

On the results of the Lok Sabha elections, he said this victory gives huge confidence.

Modi said this trust of the people in him inspires him to continuously work hard to serve them and take the country to new heights. "I will work hard like this day and night, and will I make every effort to fulfil your dreams and aspirations," the prime minister said.

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