From ghats to tea stalls, it’s a kaleidoscope of poll moods in Kashi
Amid the opening of employment opportunities and rejuvenation of the riverbank, political opinion flows freely on the streets of Varanasi
As the number of visitors at Assi Ghat starts to recede around 10.30pm, Siya Ram Yadav, 56, takes one last round, hoping to get another customer for his masala lemon tea.
And he actually gets an additional buyer before packing up and returning to his one-room home two kilometres away.
“In the past three years, I have seen tourists/locals only increasing in number after the Assi Ghat was renovated with a pucca staircase and proper cleaning,” says Siya Ram, who came to Varanasi from Chandauli to supplement the income from agriculture land at his native place.
“Rejuvenation along the Ganga bank has opened new avenues of livelihood and I am a happy beneficiary,” he says, adding: “June 1 is polling day and I will visit Chahaniya block in Chandauli to exercise my right to vote.”
Chandauli was carved out of Varanasi as a separate district in 1997. Varanasi and Chandauli will go to polls on June 1.
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According to a 2023 report Migration in India, 2020-21, based on Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2020-21, by the Union ministry of labour, a total 31,56,125 people moved in or migrated to Uttar Pradesh for work. In Varanasi, at least one lakh people, who are natives of other districts, are working just like Yadav. Politics is a hot topic for both residents and non-residents.
Local vendors, shopkeepers and boatmen working at different ghats, all have a political opinion to share. Vendors here are a mix from the city and rural pockets of Varanasi. Many of them are among 19.97 lakh voters in the Lok Sabha constituency. People from all walks of life are enthusiastic about voting.
“What will Modi do next for us? And whether someone else becoming the MP from Varanasi will be a risk of stopping all the projects? These questions are discussed round-the-clock amongst people coming to my tea stall,” says Suresh, a tea stall owner near the Banaras Hindu University.
With summer at its peak in the city, there are hardly any foreign tourists around.
But a large number of locals step out of their homes to enjoy the cool breeze from the river. The ghats are abuzz with activity till late at night.
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“I have heard a lot about choosing a candidate wisely. This time, I will vote after pondering well on the future prospects and a stable government,” says Sooraj Kumar, a first time voter who visits the riverbank to spend the evening with friends.
Varanasi has 37,226 first-time voters registered for the polling.
With less than 48 hours to go for polling, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a definite subject of discussion. His visits to Varanasi for different events related to temple and infrastructure development are being evaluated by youth. And this capacity for political debate on street has a financial link too, say analysts.
“With the Kashi Vishwanath temple corridor having come up, business on the streets of Varanasi has gone up manifold. Local youth became small time entrepreneurs while the ones sitting on the streets and chatting in nearby districts got jobs here -- salesman at saree shops, helpers at stalls or small shops, all types of workforce got a chance to work. As they got exposed to the job world, their minds opened up for politics, making them capable of debate on whom to vote for,” says Prof BP Singh of the department of statistics at Banaras Hindu University.
The rise was gradual between 2014 and 2019 but increased exponentially after the temple complex was renovated and expanded along with a corridor from the Ganga in 2021.
“What people on street say about politics now is relay feedback from the actual voters. This is because majority of them will go to vote as their establishments will remain closed for about half a day,” says Ratnakar Tripathi, political analyst.
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Varanasi, in 2017 had 1,84,44,613 tourists. In 2018, there were 2,00,83,978 tourists. In 2019, the district got 20,761,307 tourists and in 2020 there were 88,93,239 tourists. In 2021, the city got 68,84,084 tourists and in 2022 there were 71,701,816 tourists, according to tourism department data. In 2023, Varanasi got 12,94,05,720 tourists.
The data reflects how the associated food and travel industries grew and created jobs in Varanasi and the adjoining districts.
“Many in Sonbhadra also got jobs in hotels in Varanasi. They would like to continue with it,” says Raju Kumar, a staffer at a hotel in Cantonment area who joined work in 2019.
Narendra Modi has represented the constituency twice, each time witnessing a significant surge in voter support. From 2014 to 2019, Modi recorded a rise of 16.11% in votes, solidifying his position.
At tea stall locals, politicians, poets, writers, artists, students sip tea and make remarks on whether a third term is deserved or not by Modi.
The Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency comprises five assembly segments – Rohaniya, Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantt and Sevapuri. The Rohaniya seat is with the Apna Dal (Sonelal) an alliance partner of the BJP. The BJP won the remaining seats in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly election.
While voters appeared enthusiastic about going to exercise their franchise early morning, the heat is a concern as the daytime temperature in Varanasi is hovering around the 45 degrees Celsius mark for the past few days. If the trend continues, the voters will have to push themselves out of their homes to vote.
Political parties also have plans to motivate voters, particularly keeping in view the rise in the day temperature between 12pm and 4pm.