Varanasi, Mar 24 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Murli Manohar Joshi on Tuesday filed his nomination from the Varanasi constituency for the upcoming general elections.

Joshi handed over his papers to the District Electoral Officer and District Magistrate of Varanasi Ajay Kumar Upadhyay.

The BJP leader thanked people for their support and said he would work to regain the old glory of the city.

He is the first candidate to file nomination papers from the constituency.

The polls in Varanasi will be held in the first phase on April 16.

Joshi filed his nomination a day after an FIR was lodged against him on March 23 for allegedly violating prohibitory orders under section 144 and model code of conduct.

It was stated that Joshi had held a public meeting at Company Bagh in Maidagin area on March 22 without seeking permission of the Administration. (ANI)