Varanasi: In the temple city of Varanasi, attention is not on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will win, but by what margin. Manish Dikshit, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, confidently asserts, “Varanasi will produce a record margin of victory for Prime Minister Modi this time. The Prime Minister is calling for a victory by 400 votes, but we are aiming for a margin of victory of over 600,000 votes.”
The constituency holds great political significance as Modi has represented it twice and witnessed a staggering growth in his vote share of 16.11% between 2014 and 2019. Ajay Rai had been a persistent IINDIA bloc candidate in previous elections but was unable to thwart Modi’s dominance.
Local journalist Ramesh Singh noted that Rai is running again and speculated about whether he can narrow Modi’s margin of victory. “This is Rai’s third consecutive defeat. The real question is whether he can narrow Modi’s margin of victory,” Singh said, highlighting the opposition’s targeting voters dissatisfied with Modi’s decade in power.
In 2014, Modi campaigned in Varanasi and Vadodara in Gujarat at the same time, winning by a landslide. The BJP’s strategy for 2024 aims to maintain this trajectory of widening victory margins.
This year, despite 40 candidates fielded alongside Modi, the field has been whittled down to six. To secure the expected margin, top BJP leaders including JP Nadda, Yogi Adityanath and Piyush Goyal have mobilised in Varanasi. CR Patil, known as the Gujarat BJP chief, has been leading the micromanagement efforts and stepping up outreach, with Ratnakar’s backing.
Further, a dedicated team has been appointed to oversee various operations right from distribution of poll slips to monitoring. Besides active participation of state legislators, former state legislators, municipal councillors and organisational members, leaders and workers from various districts of Uttar Pradesh and other states are working diligently in the door-to-door campaign.
Varanasi’s changing demographics are also a key factor in the upcoming elections, as new housing estates emerge, attracting the attention of political parties keen to secure the support of these fast-growing communities. Areas such as Jansa, Ramnagar, Samneghat, Nagwa and Chawl Tankeshwar are seeing rising population density, while new housing estates near the old RTO and along Ramnagar Road are starting to have a major impact on the electoral landscape.
Varanasi has over 1.9 million voters in a 12 km radius, representing a diverse range of urban and semi-urban constituencies. The issue of the Ganges and Kashi Vishwanath Corridor continues to dominate debates among voters, reflecting the city’s rich cultural heritage and development aspirations.
The Ganges and Kashi Vishwanath corridors have become focal points of discussion among voters as they prepare for elections on June 1. Highlighting Varanasi’s transformation under the Modi government, Anshuman Shukla says development is driving voter support.
Trader Ramesh Kundnani agrees, pointing to Varanasi’s visible progress: “Varanasi’s development is undeniable. The city has witnessed unprecedented growth,” Kundnani asserts.
As the election fever builds, the BJP’s unwavering determination to secure a historic win in Varanasi has set the stage for a highly anticipated battle, where victory is not only assured but expected by a record-breaking margin. Voting will take place on June 1. The BSP has fielded Atal Jamal Lari besides Ajay Rai (SP).
Published: Wednesday, May 29, 2024 11:21 PM IST
