Yet another state election and yet again have the usual aspects been portraying it as a “Litmus test for Modi”. This one is the big prize of Uttar Pradesh with all eyes not just on the overall performance in the entire state but more so on Varanasi, the PM’s constituency. I have seen this city through state elections and national elections, all my life. This time it was not just a state election, it was much bigger, bigger than even 2014, when BJP swept the entire country.

UP assembly elections 2017 has become a high voltage campaign with all the leading names of the country frenetically campaigning from villages to gully to city streets. Varanasi has become the focal point for the ruling party BJP as well as the entire opposition. Even those party leaders whose parties aren’t contesting can be seen making statements in the election. The temple city has clearly turned into a fierce battle ground. On one side it is imperative for BJP to win all the assembly seats of Varanasi, on the other hand, the opposition is leaving no stone unturned to ensure BJP’s loss in Varanasi, because it is the PM’s constituency and hence has a lot of pride and prestige attached to it. UP as a state has always held that prominent place in Indian politics, giving the most number of PM’s and holds the most number of Lok Sabha seats. In 2014 PM Modi chose to keep his Varanasi seat instead of Vadodara where he won by a huge margin of over 5 Lakh votes, this struck a chord with the people of Varanasi who still talk about it with pride.

Since the state elections have been announced, PM Modi has been tirelessly campaigning and touring the state. BJP has been working hard to recreate the 2014 magic. The last phase of this election is of the utmost importance, Varanasi becoming the focal point for BJP and the opposition- Samajwadi party, congress and Bahujan Samaj Party. PM Modi is spending a good amount of time in Varanasi, presenting himself not as the PM but as an MP to the Varanasi people, someone they can relate to and reach out. BJP has shifted its campaign headquarters to Varanasi, with every prominent leader camping in the city. This clearly shows that BJP is serious not only about winning every single seat in Varanasi but also in the adjoining areas like Ghazipur, Jaunpur, and Bhadohi etc. BJP has set up a media center in the city where every day one union minister addresses the media.

PM Modi had two mega roadshows in this holy city, first on 4th March, which led to the big one on 5th March. In both the roadshows people turned out in unbelievably huge numbers shouting slogans “Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi’, “Subah Banaras, Sham Banaras, Modi tere naam Banaras”.

PM's roadshow covered a stretch of over seven kilometers on day one and five kilometers on day two, concluding at Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth, where he also addressed a huge rally. Both the days it seemed like sea of humanity has descended in Banaras. What took many people by surprise was the huge turnout of Muslims in both the roadshows. Muslim women even offered shawls to PM Modi. 

It was a sight that made many who have been talking about divisive politics scratch their heads. Muslims make around 20% of the total voters and were believed to be strongly behind the ruling Samajwadi Party, but now experts seem to be re-thinking. One Muslim weaver attending the roadshow, was quoted saying “He is our PM, we respect him and BJP does not harm us, media propagates lies”. While there were some Muslim men who did bring out the fact that BJP has not fielded any Muslim candidate, there were many others who expressed happiness over the developmental schemes lunched by PM Modi. While some did express anxiety over the demonetization, there were many more who supported the step despite having faced trouble.

Though this is a state election, it still has been compared to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections again and again. But post 2014, BJP has only grown and become more assertive. Once thought to be the party of upper caste (20%), today BJP has a strong voter base of non-Yadav backward class (23%) and non Jatav Dalits (9%), and this reality is making the opposition jittery, which is pretty evident. Varanasi district has 8 assembly seats, of which BJP won 3, BSP got 2, while SP, Congress and Apna Dal got 1 each in 2012. For BJP this state election is the semifinal that it needs to win. If it does it shall pave its way to 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Right now the situation says that the BJP is the numero uno party in UP.