VARANASI: It’s Subah-e-Banaras... As the nascent sun emerges on the horizon over glittering waves of Ganga, Varanasi, the city of salvation and now the centre of all the political action, gradually comes to life like a painting truly depicting the calmness of a winter morning in all its glory and hopes nurtured for the day ahead.
Only a day is left for the biggest festival of democracy in Kashi with eight other districts which will see the culmination of the seven-phase battle royale with voting on Monday, March 7.
Varanasi, the gateway to Uttar Pradesh, and now the state’s political capital, has eight assembly seats. Retaining all eight is a prestige issue for the BJP as Kashi is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency.
The PM camped for two days till the high octane campaign ended in Varanasi on Saturday evening. He galvanised BJP workers by imparting them a ‘Vijay mantra’. He held roadshows, delivered poll speeches to seek another term for the Yogi government and again many of his gestures surprised his supporters on Saturday evening. Naturally, the BJP banked upon Modi's enigma and his charisma to sail through in Varanasi where its sitting MLAs had been facing strong anti-incumbency.
Vinay Yadav, the owner of a silk garment shop in the lane outside Kashi Vishwanath Temple, is an exception in the caste-ridden political arena of UP. He is a BJP office-bearer. On being asked about his saffron choice, Yadav claims that Modi’s arrival as MP has melted the caste boundaries in Kashi in 2014 "Sangathan mein jaan phhoonk kar chale gaye (he has rejuvenated the cadre)," Yadav exudes confidence of victory.
In 2017, of eight assembly segments comprising three urban – Varanasi Cantt, Vanaransi North and Varanasi South — and five semi-urban — Pindra, Rohiniya, Sevapuri, Shivpur and Ajagara (SC) – BJP had won six and its allies -- Apna Dal (S) had won Sevapuri and OP Rajbhar’s Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) Ajagara. Rajbhar is now in alliance with Samajwadi Party. This time, Apna Dal (S) is contesting on two seats and BJP on six.
Both Akhilesh Yadav and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, also camped in Varanasi to shore up their parties' prospects. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had also joined Akhilesh in the holy city to conduct a high-voltage poll campaign on March 3. But ask Varanasi electorate who still sound besotted with the charisma of PM Modi and dedication of UP CM Yogi Adityanath while spitting anger against sitting MLAs.
Locals at the newly-built Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, inaugurated last December, and even at the ghats, swear by Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath.
“We will only vote for Modi and Yogi — no one has done this level of development in UP. There is no fear now to move around at night. We feel secure,” says Rajiv Tiwari readily joined by his wife Kshama: “Modi-Yogi is unmatched,” refusing to comment on the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav. “For us, Modi is the best. It is Har Har Yogi, Ghar Ghar Modi in Varanasi,” she says.
On a silent evening by the Ganges, Dharmesh Saini a boatman oozes his heart out. Rowing over waves of Ganga for 25 years, he yearns for a CNG version to replace his three-decade-old boat which he has taken on rent to make both ends meet. A CNG boat for Dharmesh would mean more money in less effort. However, the cost of a CNG boat seems beyond his reach even if he takes a loan. “I can still dream and hope that Yogiji will help me and many like me to own a CNG boat as Varanasi is his boss’s constituency,” says Dharmesh with an ear-to-ear grin.
On the other, Dheeraj Saini, another boatman, feels the heat of inflation and price rise but supports Yogi as he got a boat licence and free CNG. “No previous government helped us like this. Ghats have become cleaners and beautiful to draw tourists who spend hours here. The corridor (Kashi Vishwanath) has increased footfall and our business,” admits Dheeraj.
“Aayenge toh Yogi hi,” says Abhyudai Singh, a Varanasi local enjoying a boat ride with his wife and two kids. “People of Varanasi can feel the development. For outsiders, it may be minuscule but those living here can feel it every bit. Cleanliness, proper sewage, drainage, ongoing work on roads, and above all controlled crime, have made a big difference,” says Abhyudai.
“The biggest change has come in the form of Kashi Vishwanath Corridor. You can see its impact in Varanasi. It was beyond imagination to have a grand Corridor of Baba Vishwanath in the middle of a congested city. But Modi has made it ‘mumkin’ (possible),” says Vinay Gupta, a businessman, who claims he was ones against the idea of change in the contours of the city as it would have changed its flavor. “I was wrong. The essence of the city of Varanasi is intact,” he says with content.
His wife Anamika is happy with the uninterrupted power supply. “Akhilesh speaks lies, Yogi does what is right. Earlier, there used to be only 5-6 hours of power supply in Varanasi, now it is 24-hour,” she draws the parallel between two regimes. If improvement in law and order is the most perceptible change in Varanasi for Aarti, a research scholar in BHU, Sarvesh Yadav of Mirzapur, pursuing post-graduation from BHU, is swayed by caste compulsions. “BJP government might have done a lot of good things, but it has failed to address unemployment. Competitive exams have become a mockery. Either paper is leaked or results are challenged. I will vote for change, for Akhilesh Yadav this time,” says Sarvesh admitting that UP voters are guided by caste inclinations.
The anti-incumbency against the sitting MLAs is driving a wedge in the families. While Anjani Nandan Upadhyaya had made up his mind to vote for SP in Varanasi South seat where sitting MLA and Yogi minister Neelkanth Tiwari is facing a strong challenge by SP candidate and head priest of Mahamritunjay temple Kamshwar Nath Dixit alias Kishan Dixit, his wife was adamant at voting for Modi. “Modi’s roadshow has made me realize that I can’t betray him by voting for SP candidate,” concedes Upadhyaya who otherwise was angry with the arrogance of sitting MLA.
“Change is sure. Even Modi will not be able to stop it. BJP MLAs are seeking apology but people of Kashi have made up their mind to back SP,” says Rajesh Patel, a school teacher impressed by SP’s promise of resonation of Old Pension Scheme.
On the contrary, for a BHU employee seeking anonymity, a change in the government at the centre in 2014 followed by a change in the state itself has paved the way for better living conditions in Varanasi. “Ahead of every festival, there used to group seeking donations better called ‘rangdari’ (extortion). The police used to behave like an organised mob of dispensation. We used to look forward to (former SP minister) Shivpal Yadav’s visits because that was the only time we would have uninterrupted power,” he recalls the previous regime.
Over the past seven years, several projects have been initiated and completed in Varanasi. Projects worth Rs 3,350 crore were inaugurated in February 2019, followed by the inauguration of another set of projects worth Rs 614 crore. In October 2021, the Prime Minister launched development projects worth Rs 5,200 crore for the makeover of the Ghats, cleanliness of the Ganga, construction of bridges, parking places and facilities in Banaras Hindu University; this was followed by the inauguration of the grand Kashi Vishwanath corridor in December.
“No matter what the opposition says or how long it takes, people are assured that work will be done in Kashi as long as there is (PM) Modi,” says Dashrath Ram Sonkar, a vegetable and fruit vendor.
However, as one traverses to the semi-urban pockets, the issues of stray cattle, demand for increasing MSPs, procurement centre in every village dominate the discourse but the overriding caste factor rings the most on the ground. Key seats set for big fights include Varanasi (North) where BJP’s two-time MLA Ravindra Jaiswal is in the fray, Varanasi (South) where BJP minister Neelkanth Tiwari is taking on SP’s Kameshwar Nath Dikshit in a ‘Brahmin vs Brahmin fight’, Pindra seat where Congress leader Ajay Rai is seeking election and Shivpur seat where minister Anil Rajbhar is taking on SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar’s son Arvind.
The contest in the Sewapuri seat of Varanasi is significant too as it has three villages – Jayapur, Nagapur, and Kakarhia adopted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under the MP Adarsh Gram Yojana. Sewapuri has also been recognised as a “model block” by the NITI Aayog for development, a point that Shukla is raising in the campaign.