(Image source from: It's Modi's roadshow versus AAP's jansabha in Varanasi})
Varanasi is getting all keyed up ahead of the May 12 Lok Sabha polling, with people's loyalties divided over their choice of candidate. Every street, every ghat and every shop of this pious city is afire with animated discussions on the high-profile poll battle starring the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and Congress's Ajay Rai in the leads.
Elections 2014 is drawing to a frantic, dramatic end in Varanasi. As the D-Day nears, the atmosphere is electric and oddly festive with the supremely-charged saffron caps and the overzealous white caps daring, goading and trying to out-slogan each other — “Abhi toh Sheila haari hain. Ab Modi ka baari hain.” “UP bhi Gujarat banega. Kashi se shuruwat karega.” “Modi kaisa neta hain Kejriwal se darta hain. Bhagoda bhagoda bhagoda.”
On one hand, there is the Aam Aadmi Party, which set up stage for a Kumar Vishwas jansabha. And on the other, there are the BJP supporters who are congregated at the same corner of the road to cheer and wave at Narendra Modi’s thumb-my-nose-at-EC roadshow.
While lotus fanatics assembled on the VIP luggage store side of the road, the jhadoo-walas put up on Samsung showroom side. But even distance couldn't stop them from slamming each other. “Your Modi is afraid of losing That’s why he’s fighting from two seats.” “Arre, your Kejriwal will be crushed in Modiji’s chakki. You don’t know what you are getting into, you Sonia’s tattu.”
As the Modi motorcade hit this part of the city preceded by BJP supporters on motorbikes shouting slogans, the crowd went completely berserk. At this corner, the two sides seem evenly matched, at least in decibel level. But BJP supporter Dr. Arun Pandey rubbishes AAP supporters as just out-of-towners. “None of them have a vote,” he said dismissively. “They are just doing suicide.” “But they are very trained campaigners,” he conceded.
They may be outnumbered and out-resourced, but that doesn't weaken AAP's resolution who want to piously claim the higher moral ground in this passion play. BJP elements, supercharged with electoral adrenaline, are louder and rowdier at this particular junction. But the AAP is unmoved.
“We are Gandhiwadis. We oppose by ahimsa,” says Jagdish Buniya. “What is these people’s sanskriti? Throwing stones!” A hopeful Arun Pandey says “It’s completely one-sided. We will have record turnout, more than 70%. And Modi will win by at least 2 lakhs.”
AW: Suchorita Choudhury
