KANPUR/UNNAO : Kanpur, the largest hub of leather products and a huge export base has been in the doldrums for long. On the one hand, the business community is confronted with issues such as the closure of industries, especially tanneries, on the other denizens complain of unmet aspirations.
“We don’t want loans but we expect better facilities to promote trade and industry so that Kanpur can regain its lost glory,” said Hemant Gupta, a trader dealing in textiles.
Kanpur, which produced leaders revolutionaries like Nana Saheb Peshwa and Tantiya Tope, besides Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, has produced leaders like Dr Murli Manohar Joshi of BJP and Congress’s Shree Prakash Jaiswal. In 2014, Joshi won beating Jaiswal by over two lakh votes.
This time, voters are reluctant to name the candidate of their choice. However, many extend vociferous support to national issues, especially, the way the Modi government handled terrorism post-Pulwama. “The issue of security is of utmost importance and should be a priority. If we are secure and at peace, then we can have solutions to all our problems,” said GC Shukla, 75, a retired bank manager.
At Birhana Road, Ram Kishore Agarwal, a jeweller, too felt that national security is the most important issue though Ramesh Dixit,48, a teacher, believes that all parties come with slogans, which don’t serve the common man.
At a food joint at Badshahi Road, Dinesh Awasthi failed to control his agony over unemployment. “They claim they have given crores of jobs. Where are the jobs? If so, people like me would have had something to do after completing education instead of becoming part of this discussion here,” he said. The common refrain at tea stalls and market places is the need for action against corruption plaguing the country.
While Congress leader and former Union minister Sriprakash Jaiswal is vying to regain this crucial seat he lost to sitting BJP MP M M Joshi in 2014, BJP candidate Satyadev Pachauri is hoping to win it, riding on what he claims a “bigger Modi wave” this time. Jaiswal, who comes from the traders’ community and has represented Kanpur thrice since 1999 till 2009. At the same time, Ram Kumar of SP-BSP alliance is confident of his caste arithmetic of Dalit-Muslim-Yadav combine.
Three-time Kanpur MP Jaiswal and Pachauri both have campaigned extensively in the past few days and exuded confidence of winning the polls.
Pachauri, an MLA from Govind Nagar, said he might have lost the 2004 polls marginally to Jaiswal, but with the 2014 elections and the “Modi factor” coming into play, his “fortunes will be reversed” this time.
Atul Seth, the vice-president of Provincial Industrial Association and a diehard Congress supporter does see a chance for Jaiswal but condemns Congressmen for not looking beyond dynastic politics. Congress’ sitting MLA from Kanpur Cantt, Sohil Akhtar Ansari believes that Priyanka Gandhi’s entry has tilted the election in Congress’ favour in Kanpur.
While Pachauri is banking on 23% upper caste votes and support from backwards and non-Jatav Dalits, Jaiswal claims the same vote share along with an edge of Muslim votes. However, Pachauri is eyeing a division of Muslim votes between the alliance and Congress to sail through.
With sundown, as the scene shifts to Unnao, the poll landscape here seems set for a tight triangular with issues such as nationalism, caste calculus coming into play.
People in Unnao are not shy of criticizing BJP’s Sakshi Maharaj, who is seeking re-election. On the other, strong support base has emerged in favour of Congress candidate Anu Tandon owing to her popularity among both rural and urban voters.
Meanwhile, Gathbadhan candidate Anna, a Brahmin, is depending purely on caste equations while also eyeing upper caste votes.
“Sakshi Maharaj doesn’t deserve a second term. He did nothing for Unnao in the last five years. But those who will vote using common sense, will do so for Modi,” said Gudia Tiwari, 31, a primary teacher at Dahi Chowki.
However, Santosh Sahu, Dharampal and Kaushal Sahu all back Anu Tandon in one voice. “She is a messiah for the poor. She will get votes on her personal popularity. She is easily accessible, unlike any other leaders,” said Sanjeev Kumar, 50, who owns a grocery shop in Unnao. On the contrary, Santosh Sahu has a different reason to back Tandon. “No government should be repeated. Change brings development,” he said.
Tanneries’ closure rules discourse
The issue of tanneries lying defunct and closed for the last six months is dominating poll discourse in Kanpur. With Rs 12,000-crore industry in tatters with over five lakh people involved in it losing their livelihood, the shutdown on government orders since November 18 to allow for Kumbh has made for universal anger. “This is resulting in loss of major consignments worth crores and the leather market is being captured by countries such as Brazil, China, Pakistan and Bangladesh,” said Saud Ahmad, a tanner. According to data, the six-month closure has led to a loss of Rs 6,000 crore. The tanners have also lost manpower as a majority of labourers involved in over 249 units producing leather products have either taken up other occupations or migrated to metros such as Kolkata in search of livelihood, according to Small Tanners’ Association.