David versus Goliath in Varanasi

Kejriwal and his team of volunteers from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are holding dialogues with the people in door-to-door campaign in the narrow dark alleys of Varanasi. Modi is yet to meet the voters but his presence is overwhelming through large-size hoardings and posters that stare from all major cross roads.

AAP volunteers have spread out all across the constituency, wearing their trade mark white cap. They distribute a pamphlet that explains why Kejriwal is challenging Modi. “If you vote Modi to power, he will double the price of natural gas to swell the profit of business tycoon Mukesh Ambani. The increased price of gas will in turn increase the price of fertilizer, electricity and all food stuff.”

AAP volunteers extensively take down in their notebook problems of the locals and the solutions they suggest, an exercise they have undertaken to draft the party manifesto for Varanasi. This experiment in participatory democracy attracts the residents of Varanasi the most as no political party has ever bothered to consult people about their problems and asked for their suggestions.

In his road-side interactive session with the voters, Kejriwal asks, “Has anyone among the present here ever met Modi?” Not a single hand is raised. “If he has not shown his face to the people of Varanasi, will he show his face after the elections?” Kejriwal taunts.

This bothers Modi supporters and provokes them to raise the slogan of “Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi”. Soon they start raining stones and rotten tomatoes on Kejriwal’s entourage. Kejriwal moves on to the next spot.

This intimidation tactics compelled the chief priest of the famous Sankat Mochan temple to ask Kejriwal and his volunteers to vacate his guest house and move to another place. Since his arrival in Varanasi on April 15, Kejriwal has been facing low-key violence in the form of stone-throwing, slogan-shouting and black flag demonstration from Modi supporters.

Undaunted, Kejriwal takes out padyatra, winding his way on the narrow lanes and bylanes. He is greeted by thousands of local residents who shower on him rose petals and marigold garlands. People thronging both sides of the road include old, young, men, women and children, the poor and the middle class.

Kejriwal, his lieutenant Anand Kumar of Jawaharlal Nehru University and a score of other AAP volunteers hold group meetings with lawyers, engineering students, weavers and local businessmen. Prof Anand Kumar had been the president of the students’ union of Banaras Hindu University in late 1960s.

He networks with his old-time colleagues and co-workers like Banshidhar Singh and Radheshyam Singh, former presidents of the Bar Association and the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh.

While the Sangh Parivar comprising of the cadre of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the old Jan Sangh are cut up with the army of paid workers hired by Modi from local colleges, Kejriwal enjoys the support of self-motivated volunteers – men and women – who have come from different parts of the country.

In a significant development, the cadre of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and trade unions of banks and insurance companies are campaigning for Kejriwal to work for the defeat of Modi who they describe as communal and fascist.

To bolster Kejriwal’s electoral prospect, progressive writers’ association is holding a convention on May 4 and has invited known litterateurs Ananthmurthy, Arundhati Roy, film personalities Girish Karnad, Shabana Azmi, Mahesh Bhatt and Nobel Laureate Amratya Sen.

With his criminal past, Congress candidate Ajay Rai is finding it difficult to rope in old-time party leaders for his campaigning. Brahmin leaders, who have been supporting Congress, are unhappy with denial of party ticket to Rajesh Mishra.

A section of Brahmin voters, who had supported Bahujan Samajwadi Party leader Mayawati after she had brought several prominent Brahmin leaders into her party, is citing better law and order condition in the state during her tenure as the chief minister. A division in the three lakh odd Brahmin votes between BSP and BJP is expected to adversely affect Modi’s electoral prospect.

Though Modi supporters have been touting his backward class origin, Samajwadi Party’s hold over the Yadavs has remained intact after Akhilesh Yadav assumed the reins of government in UP. The mammoth road show in the city, attended by thousands, on the day SP’s Kailash Chourasia filed his nomination, gave out a clear indication that the party cannot be dismissed easily despite the BJP fielding its prime ministerial candidate from Varanasi.

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• India