JAUNPUR/MIRZAPUR/BHADOHI/SONBHADRA: After the conclusion of six phases of elections in UP, as one proceeds towards Varanasi, the political corridors comprising Jaunpur, Mirzapur, Bhadohi and Sonbhadra, the effect of newly-inaugurated Kashi Vishawanth Dham on one side and on the other, the upcoming Ram temple in Ayodhya on the voters’ psyche becomes palpable.
The religio-political issues are seen jotting the script of polarization ahead of the final phase of voting in this region. However, a politically much aware electorate minces no words in giving its fair opinion about the work and worth of the sitting lawmakers. They fire salvos at vote seekers while evaluating their options. An interaction with voters makes it clear that religious and caste priorities are dominating the political discourse leaving anti-incumbency against MLAs much behind in UP east.
Jaunpur, Mirzapur, Bhadohi and the tribal belt of Sonbhadra together make 21 seats set to go to the polls in the final phase on March 7. In 2017, under the sweeping Modi wave, BJP and its ally Apna Dal (S) had won 16 seats, three seats had gone to Samajwadi Party (SP), one each to BSP and NISHAD.
Jaunpur: Caste-based alliances at stake
Once the centre stage of the politics of Sharqui sultanate, Jaunpur is also known for the mellifluous Raag Jaunpuri introduced by Sultan Hissain Shah Sharqui. However, this time, Jaunpur would play a laboratory for the test of caste-based political alliances between smaller groups and mainstream parties. The district has nine assembly segments – Badlapur, Shahganj, Jaunpur, Malhani, Mungra Badshahpur, Machhlishahr (SC), Mariyahu, Zafrabad and Kerakat (SC). BJP and its ally Apna Dal (S) have 5 of nine seats, three are with SP and one BSP.
Whom will Jaunpur vote for? Pat comes the reply, “BJP” as Padmini Gupta, a housewife stops suddenly while crossing Shahi Pul in the morning. On being asked the reason, the response is even crisper: “Nationalism.” Shamsuddin sitting in front of Atal Masjid prefers cycle (SP symbol) “as it does not need petrol,” he says with intended sarcasm on price rise. Shamsuddin gives words to his pain: “Jaunpur never witnessed Hindu-Muslim but it is a reality of today.” Exhibiting a little more political maturity, a vegetable vendor of Mandi Naseeb Khan, Ratan Sonkar feels that Girish Chandra Yadav, who has been repeated by the BJP will not have to work hard for victory as all three rival parties have fielded Muslim candidates which will divide the Muslim votes.
The contest in the Jaunpur seat seems to be multi-pronged as Yadav is the sitting BJP MLA facing SP’s Mohammad Arshad Khan, BSP’s Salim Khan and Congress’s Nadeem Khan.
Ranjana Singh feels that ‘Modi and Yogi’ have been performing well despite the hardships of the pandemic. “Modi and Yogi are not responsible for the pandemic sent by God. They have been feeding people free of cost. Houses have also been given,” she asserts. For Ram Keval Jaiswal, selling edible oil, the opposition’s issue of unemployment, is related to the competence of aspirants. “Those capable and competent got the jobs,” he says underlining how renovation and expansion Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi has made every Indian feel proud. Power supply
and law and order also have traction on the ground.
In the rest of the seats, the contest is more or less bipolar between BJP and SP. However, the contest on much talked about the seat of Malhani, would be interesting as the history-sheeter and former parliamentarian Dhananjay Singh is contesting here on JD-U ticket. Dhananjay is facing a challenge from SP’s Lucky Yadav.
Bhadohi: Triangular contest on cards on all 3 seats
Having three assembly segments -- Bhadohi, Gyanpur and Aurai (SC), BJP had bagged two in 2017. The Gyanpur seat was won by Vijay Mishra, a muscleman and currently in jail, on NISHAD ticket.
The district is small but world-famous for its intricately woven carpets. It had given shelter to the master weavers who had migrated from Iran centuries ago. However, the Bhadohi carpet industry has also taken a hit in the pandemic. Bhadohi and its neighbouring districts, including Mirzapur, Varanasi and certain pockets of Chandauli, together make up a carpet hub that accounts for Rs 7,000 crore of India’s annual export of Rs 12,000 crore.
“One district One Product (ODOP) scheme initiated by Yogi government has helped the carpet industry a great deal as the government provided us international market through international expos in Germany and other countries,” says Umesh Gupta, associated with carpet industry. He admits that during the pandemic, the famous Varanasi expo could not be held hitting the industry which provides bread and butter to artisans from eastern UP and Bihar. “But two big virtual expos organized by the government helped the industry a lot,” says Gupta.
Besides, law and order too have resonance on the ground. “Now the girls can move freely, pursue studies, extortion from local traders has stopped, roads and infrastructure is better,” says Santosh Pandey, owning a hardware shop in the main market, favouring the return of Yogi as CM.
The most-watched out seat of Bhadohi is Gyanpur which has Vijay Mishra as the main contestant fielded by Pragatisheel Manav Samaj Party. Mishra is facing challenges from BJP ally NISHAD’s Vipul Dubey. In the wake of the dominance of the Bind community, SP has placed a bet on Ramkishore Bind, BSP has fielded a retired cop Upendra Singh, Congress has given a ticket to a Brahmin Suresh Mishra. The other two seats—Bhadohi and Aurai (SC) – are witnessing a triangular contest among BJP, SP and BSP.
Mirzapur: Anti-incumbency on sitting MLAs looms large
Another hub of the carpet industry, Mirzapur, ensconced in the foothill of the Vindhya range and seat of the revered shrine of Goddess Vindhyavasini, has five assembly segments—Chhanbey (SC), Mirzapur, Majhawan, Chunar and Marihan. In 2017, Mirzapur had supported the BJP and its ally Apna Dal (S) wholeheartedly. While Apna Dal (S) had won Chhanbey, the reserved seat, the rest four had gone to the BJP.
Shivmurat Kol of Haliya Bazar in Chhanbey is content with the BJP government’s performance. “We are getting Roti, Kapda and Makaan—all three. What else do we need,” he says adding that if the BJP government returns it will take the development further.
On the other, Rajesh Yadav in the main Mirzapur market feels that if BJP suffers a setback in this election, it will be due to its sitting MLA Ratnakar Mishra who has been repeated by the party. Even SP has also repeated its candidate Kailash Chaurasiya who was defeated in 2017. A district, having Kurmis as a dominant backward caste, may have some reverses for the ruling BJP due to the anti-incumbency against sitting MLAs. However, the party will depend largely on the charisma of Modi and Yogi.
In Chunar, voters sound angry with sitting MLA Anurag Singh, son of BJP veteran OM Prakash Singh. “Anurag has not lived up to the expectations. We had voted for him as his father had done a lot for Chunar,” says Moolan Singh Bind but will vote fr Anurag in absence of a promising opposition candidate. Adalhat’s Brijesh Patel and Shivakant Rajbhar claim that voters will not wait for MLA to wake up from his slumber. “We will take a new path this time,” says Rajbhar. For Raghunandan Singh, a retired cop, local issues will not decide victory and defeat. “Polarisation of votes will be there,” he observes.
Sonbhadra: Tribal belt may follow its instinct
As soon as one enters the tribal belt, the 2019 incident of Umbha village rings in the memory. In 2019, 10 persons were killed in a clash between Gurjars and Gonds over 90 bighas of the disputed land. While Gujjars belong to OBC segment, Gonds are reclassified as SC. Umbha has gone see change with raining sops after the lashes. The villagers have got land rights and Rs 30 lakh as compensation to kin of those killed in the firing. Moreover, the picture of the village has changed ith model school, PHC and other facilities.
Sonbhadra has four assembly segments, three with BJP and one with ally Apna Dal (S)Sonbhadra has the distinction of having the only segments – Obra and Duddhi-- reserved for scheduled tribes. The other two seats are Ghorawal and Roberstganj.
In the tribal district, around 11 villages of Duddhi assembly segment will vote one last time on March 7 as they will be swamped by waters of Kanhar river as the Kanhar Dam Project will become operational by the end of this year. The foundation of the Dam was laid in 1976 but this government completed it.
Residents of 11 villages that will cease to be a part of Duddhi-- constituency number 403 -- pray that their last vote from constituency paves way for the return of the BJP government. "We will be scattered in different parts but the river will flow into our land and things will change for good," hopes Raja Ram Gond of Sugwaman. 11 villages have over 25,000 voters in a population of 50,000. The 342-km long dam project is expected to benefit the neighbouring Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh states as well.