E-Paper
In fray against PM Modi, Ajay Rai confident of people’s blessings
UPCC president Ajay Rai to challenge PM Modi in Varanasi LS polls for the third time, confident of local support due to promises unfulfilled by Modi.
Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Ajay Rai, who will take on PM Narendra Modi in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Varanasi for the third time in a row, has said this time scenario is different and that he is confident of getting blessings of people of Kashi as he is a local. Rai had challenged Modi in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections as well from Varanasi but lost both times.
“Unemployment is at its extreme. People are upset due to inflation. They want to know where is Kyoto like development of Kashi as was promised nine years ago? People still face traffic jams daily,” Rai says. “I am thankful to the party leadership for giving me this responsibility. I am confident that the people of Kashi will bless me,” he adds.
In 2014, Modi won the seat while AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal was the runner-up. In the 2019 LS polls, PM Modi had defeated SP-BSP alliance candidate Shalini Yadav while Rai was at third place.
Responding to Rai’s comment, Kashi region BJP OBC Morcha vice president Somnath Vishwakarma said PM Modi has ensured all-round development in Kashi. From roads to streets, everywhere transformation is visible.
This time, Congress has an alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP). Rai, a resident of Varanasi, started his political career with the BJP. From 1996 to 2007, he was elected an MLA for three consecutive terms on the BJP ticket.
Later, he joined the SP. After over a year, Rai quit the SP and in 2009, he contested the by-election from Pindra assembly seat as an independent candidate and won. In 2012, he joined Congress and party fielded him from Pindra and he again emerged victorious.
The National Security Act was imposed on Ajay Rai in 2015 after an incident of fire at Godaulia intersection and he was later arrested. Many criminal cases are also registered against him. In 2021, four of his arms licences were suspended due to the criminal cases pending against him. Varanasi Lok Sabha seat comprises Rohaniya, Sevapuri, Varanasi North, Varanasi South and Varanasi Cantt assembly constituencies.
