GORAKHPUR: ‘Hum bhi bhagwadhari’ is the slogan doing rounds not only in Gorakhpur Urban from where Yogi Adityanath, the poster boy of the saffron brigade, is making the electoral debut in Assembly polls but across the Gorakhpur division.
The slogan is in vogue to counter the narrative of Dimple Yadav, wife of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, where she had compared the saffron robes of Yogi Adityanath with the colour of ‘rust’.
As one proceeds towards the revered Gorakhnath Math, a crowd of youngsters shout: “UP mein rehna hai to Yogi-Yogi kehna hai (follow ‘Yogi’ if one has live in UP).” The slogan, popular among commoners across Gorakhpur, is a modified version of ‘Gorakhpur mein rehna hai toh…’
“Why not? Maharaji is now the representative of Uttar Pradesh, not just Gorakhpur. So we have replaced Gorakhpur in the slogan with UP,” reasons out Sunil Singh, a BJP functionary, exuding excitement.
As one reaches the Humayunpura area, close to Gorakhnath Peeth, the call of “Jai Shree Ram” reverberates the atmosphere. The area around the Math, the religious-political nerve centre of eastern UP, bubbling with activity even before break of dawn, is replete with fluttering saffron flags.
Gorakhpur, the seat of Guru Gorakhnath, a saint of the 11th century, is one of the most high-profile constituencies as it has been the `Karmbhoomi' of Yogi Adityanath who represented it five times in Lok Sabha since 1998 -- until he assumed the charge of UP CM in 2017.
The Math has been turned into a war room of UP CM Yogi Adityanath who is camping in Gorakhpur for the past 10 days managing the party campaign from here. He is conducting a whirlwind tour of the assembly segments set to witness polling in the sixth and seventh phases.
“Maharaji is going to win hands down with a record margin,” says Rahul Upadhyaya, 30, a research scholar in Deen Dayal Upadhyaya university in Gorakhpur.
As one reaches out to a group of women doing Shivratri buying, they claim that it is beyond imagination to elect anyone else in Gorakhpur. “You are in Gorakhpur. This question should not be asked here. You know it well,” says Shaymla Pandey, a housewife, mocking at my query. She is joined by many like her holding the same opinion.
When questioned about the reason for support to Yogi or the issues underlying, all say there is no reason and no issue as such. The support is unflinching and unconditional. “He is revered and respected here. He is our guardian. He has done so much for Gorakhpur. Even if he had not done anything, we would have voted for him without any ifs and buts,” says Asha Murya, a teacher in a private primary school.
Mohammad Abdul Jadid holds the same view. He claims that the Yogi holds the same respect among all communities in Gorakhpur. “He never discriminates between Hindu and Muslims in addressing the issues. Muslims vote for him here as the lines of religion get blurred at the gates of Math,” says Jadid, owner of a men’s parlour.
The Gorakhnath Math, expanded over an area of around 50 acres in the heart of the city, has been associated with various social activities right from running a multi-disciplinary, super-specialty hospital to a number of schools and degree colleges.
Done with the round of morning meetings with his lieutenants to plan the day, Maharaj Ji, as Yogi Aditaynath is commonly known among his followers, leaves for a series of rallies in seats that are set to vote in the final phase.
"People of Gorakhpur are contesting on behalf of Yogi Ji. The margin of his victory will be there to watch for," asserts Ballu Rai, a BJP functionary and a lieutenant of Yogi Adityanath. Vinay Singh, a Hindu Yuva Vahini worker, feels that the impact of work done by Yogi as CM will be seen not only in Gorakhpur but have a percolating effect in the whole Purvanchal region as such.
"Maharaj Ji ka swayam ka chunav hi bada sandesh hai (Yogi himself is in the fray from the city. His candidature itself has a message for the whole region)," said Mridul Pathak running a book shop in the Ramnagar Taal area.
While Samajwadi Party has fielded Subhawati Shukla, the widow of BJP vice-president Upendra Shukla who was defeated by BSP backed SP candidate Praveen Nishad during the 2018 Gorakhpur by-poll. Shukla had passed away on May 10, 2020. Subhawati, along with her elder son Arvind joined the SP on January 18 after she was declared the SP candidate against Yogi.
Shukla family which has been seeking vote for Yogi Adityanath for years is now challenging him on his own turf. “My husband served BJP for 42 years but after his demise, we have been ignored by the party. No one visited us even once to know our condition,” says Subhawati with a choked voice.
Interestingly, the BSP has fielded a Muslim candidate Khwaja Shamsuddin while Congress has given the ticket to a former member of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) Chetna Pandey, a Brahmin. Moreover, Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azad is also challenging the might of Yogi by contesting from Gorakhpur Urban.
However, voices against Yogi are also emanating from battleground Gorakhpur. “Why not give Akhilesh Yadav a chance to lead UP as this government has pushed the state to hardships through GST, unemployment and price rise. I think Akhilesh Yadav should be given another chance and this time he will ensure to wash off the tag of a party of hooligans,” says Shahzad Ansari, a tailor, who feels that business has taken a hit during the pandemic and the state government did not come to the rescue of small traders.
Even Devansh Yadav, a post-graduate student of DDU University, said that the Yogi government has failed to address the issue of unemployment properly. “It is time for a change in UP after seeing the performance of this government for five years,” says Yadav.
Gorakhpur Urban is not the only seat associated with the prestige of Yogi Adityanath but much is at stake for other eight assembly segments including Gorakhpur Rural, Campierganj, Sahjanwa, Pipraich, Khajni, Chillupar, Chauri Chaura and Bansgaon, for which the party is depending upon the stature and political might of Yogi Adityanath who is believed to have a sway over around 50-60 seats of eastern UP.
According to an estimate, in Gorakhpur Rural, Nishad, one of the most backward castes and Scheduled Caste have dominance. BJP has an alliance with the Nishad party in this election. The boatmen community is in a deciding factor over 50-60 seats of eastern UP.
In Campiereganj, Nishads (boatmen) constitute around 40 per cent of the population besides the presence of Yadavs and Kurmis in respectable chunks. In Pipraich, Nishad are 90,000 besides other caste groups. While Khajni has Scheduled Castes in dominance, Bansgaon has a respectable share of Brahmins in the population. Chilluapr is considerd to be a stronghold of Hari Shankar Tiwari, the strongman of yore. His son Vinay Shankar Tiwari has been winning from here on BSP ticket but this time he is contesting as an SP candidate.
At most of the places, while the Modi factor becomes conspicuous on the ground, the development done by the Yogi as CM and the benefit of welfare schemes is seen to have traction among the voters.
However, the caste matrix will also be in play here. Revival, restoration and expansion of the fertilizer factory, AIIMs, control on Japanese Encephalitis, construction of highways, restarting of Pipraich sugar mill and other development projects worth Rs 40,000 crore in and around Gorakhpur have resonance on the ground.
A look back at 2017:
Gorakhpur : total seats: 9
BJP: 08; SP: 00; BSP: 01 (Chillupar) ; Cong: 00
Total electorate: 4.5 lakh.
The electorates caste wise: Nishad- 25,000, Yadav- 25,000, Dalits- 20,000, Brahmin- 55,000, Vaishya- 45,000, Kayasth- 95,000, Thakur- 25,000, Muslim- 50,000