Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually address the Kashi Telugu Sangamam event, which will be held in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi, on April 29.

The event will be held at a time when Telugu-speaking pilgrims are arriving in Varanasi in large numbers during the ongoing 12-day long Ganga Pushkar Alu, a religious congregation which is held after 12 years.

The Sri Kashi Telugu Samithi, an organisation of ashrams and dharmshalas linked to Telugus, is organising the 'Sangamam', the organisation's president and BJP MP G V L Narasimha Rao said. He is the coordinator for the programme.

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The one-day programme, to be held at Mansarovar ghat of the Ganga River, will highlight the ancient civilisational ties between the holy city and Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, two states inhabited by Telugu-speaking people, and will host various cultural and religious events to commemorate the link.

The exercise is also being seen as part of Modi's efforts to deepen the ruling BJP's roots in southern states. Varanasi had also hosted a month-long Kashi Tamil Sangamam.

"During the Ganga Pushkar Alu, lakhs of people are arriving for a holy bath in Ganga and to participate in different rituals. This is a very holy period. The prime minister will be addressing thousands of such pilgrims," Rao said, adding that Modi will highlight the ancient civilisational connect between the two regions. He lauded the prime minister for rejuvenating Varanasi's religious and cultural heritage.

(Edited by : Sangam Singh)