Modi vs Kejriwal vs Rai: What are people of Varanasi thinking?

, May 8: As election juggernaut rolls on, a big political drama unfolded on Thursday in the lanes of the holy city Varanasi as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate

was denied permission to hold "Ganga aarti" and prayers.

The BJP ministers staged protests while the politicians like Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati and Mamata Banerjee were busy in making scathing attacks at Modi.

According to the people at the Ground Zero, all these political happenings are a part of the Varanasi contest, that can be also considered as that of Hindus versus Muslims.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today said, "Modi's Ganga aarti programme in Varanasi is not a religious one but purely political."

What are people thinking in Varanasi?

Virendra Singh Chauhan, the Director of Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa, observed the recent scenario in Varanasi closely and shared his views with OneIndia.

When Chauhan reached in the lanes of Banaras, he interacted with the local shopkeepers and devotees at the ghats of Ganga, and he found out that most of the people are in the favour of Modi.

A student of Kashi Vidyapeeth University, quipped saying, "This contest is not just about Modi vs Kejriwal vs Ajay Rai, but it is more about Hindus vs Muslims. If Modi loses, it means Hindus will also loose."

Rival parties have been reportedly telling Hindu voters about the failures of sitting MP and BJP's veteran leader Murli Manohar Joshi while Muslim voters are being told that Modi is an outsider and he will vacate the seat, once the elections are over.

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind endorses Kejriwal

The reality behind Hindu vs Muslim contest can be seen in the fact that AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal has played the communal card by holding roadshows in most of the Muslim-dominated areas. He has also got the backing of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, an influential Muslim organisation, against Modi.

The endorsement by Jamaat-e-Islami can provide electoral advantage to Kejriwal in a city that has significant Muslim population.

Will 'Modi wave' prevail in Varanasi?

In an attempt to secure Muslim votes, AAP and Congress have been reportedly campaigning against Modi by reminding them about 2002 Gujarat riots.

On "Modi wave", Saurabh Kapoor, a Varanasi- based senior journalist, has claimed that Modi will win as the people of Banaras know that the prime ministerial candidate is contesting from their constituency while Arvind Kejriwal and Ajay Rai have no chances of winning from the holy city.

As one of the "most fascinating" contest is set to take place on May 12, the "grand finale" of the Lok Sabha election 2014, the three men- can woo the voters till May 10.

OneIndia News