By Pradeep Kapoor
LUCKNOW: Irrespective of outcome of Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh, credit goes to India Alliance to make BJP struggle in all the 13 seats in Poorvanchal part of state. Knowing fully well the outcome of most VIP constituency Varanasi where PM Narendra Modi is contesting for third term, Samajwadi Party and Congress mobilised all resources in favour of INDIA alliance candidate Ajay Rai. .All these constituencies are going to the polls on June 1, the last day of the seven phase polling.
The road show of Priyanka Gandhi and Dimple Yadav in favour of Ajai was a grand success in term of the public response in Varanasi. Similarly joint rally of two poster boys of the opposition Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav three days after the road show of Priyanka and Dimple was also a big success which was visible through the huge response of the public.
Rahul Gandhi told the gathering that the election in Varanasi was witnessing clear divide between rich people and poor people. He further said that PM Modi was contesting to look after the interests of rich while Ajay Rai was representing poor people.
Akhilesh Yadav said that PM Modi failed to convert Varanasi to Kyoto and clean Holy river Ganga. He miserably failed to fulfill two promises made to voters of Varanasi, Akhilesh alleged. He claimed several schemes of development in Varanasi were initiated during Samajwadi Party regime.
The high profile campaign by INDIA bloc in Varanasi unnerved the campaign managers of PM Narendra Modi which resulted in deployment of BJP-RSS workers from all over the country to Varanasi. So much so film actor Arun Govil who played the character of Lord Ram in iconic serial Ramayana was brought to Varanasi to campaign for PM Modi.
The campaign for PM Modi is being supervised by high profile BJP-RSS leader Sunil Bansal who was architect of party’s victory in UP during 2014 and 2019.LokSabhapolla.BJP is unnerved at the manner in which Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi succeeded in weaning away large number of dalit voters from Mayawati in the name of saving the constitution.
The strategy of Rahul Gandhi for caste census and Akhilesh Yadav working on PDA ( backward, dalit and minorities) is making BJP candidates struggle in all the constituencies. Even in Gorakhpur, hometown of chief minister Yogi Adityanath BJP candidate Bollywood actor Ravi Kishan is facing Kajal Nishad from Samajwadi Party contesting as INDIA bloc candidate. Significantly, Nishad backward community has very good presence in Gorakhpur which helps the candidate from backward community to win the seat.
Similarly in weaver belt of Goshi and carpet belt in Mirzapur, there is keen contest between BJP and INDIA bloc. The impact of the death of local powerful personality and alleged mafia Mukhtar Ansari will also be felt in the voting in eastern UP.
Although PM Narendra Modi held the mega road show and addressed the meeting the day he filed his nomination in Varanasi but all the top leaders of NDA and BJP visited the VIP constituency and campaigned. Prevailing heat wave in UP will also be one of the important factors during polling in last phase for 13 Lok Sabha seats on June 1. (IPA Service)