Prayagraj (UP), Jan 31 (IANS): Pandit Brijendra Narain Mishra, the priest of a 200-year-old Shiva temple at Bhagwanpur village in Kaushambi district, who had installed a bust of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the temple in 2014, is performing a special puja for the victory of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Assembly polls.

Mishra told reporters, "I had placed the bust of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this 200-year-old Shiva temple on January 21, 2014, during parliamentary elections and performed a special puja of Lord Shiva, praying that Modi ji becomes Prime Minister."

"With the blessings of Mahadev, Modi became Prime Minister in 2014 and again in 2019. This year also, I am chanting mantras and shlokas and performing special puja with the prayer that BJP retains power in the state," he added.

However, he clarified, that the temple is a 'Shivala' and not a 'Modi temple'.

Mishra said the Prime Minister's bust is not worshipped.

"We do not perform any puja of Modi's bust but dust it and clean it every day. I have put a woollen shawl on it recently since it is quite cold," the priest said.