For long the holy city of Kashi is business capital not only of entire Purvanchal (eastern Uttar Pradesh) but also of some adjoining States of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The daily transaction in these ‘mandis’ or markets is of millions of rupees. But after BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi filed his nomination from this seat, it has become political mandi that is destined to change the political fate of this region.
After mega roadshow of Modi on Thursday when he came here to file his nomination papers, senior leaders believe that Varanasi would boost BJP’s fate in Purvanchal. “This massive crowd will turn BJP’s storm into a “tsunami” in this entire region where the elections would be held during the forthcoming phases,” claimed BJP general secretary Amit Shah.
The city attracts thousands of people as it has the biggest markets of foodgrain at Visheshwarganj, fruits/vegetables at Pahadia, wholesale medicines at Saptsagar, spices and dry fruits at Gola Deenanath. Besides, thousands of patients are brought here daily at Sir Sundarlal Hospital of Banaras Hindu University and the students come here for studies in local universities, higher educational institutes and mushrooming coaching institutes. It is the main market for purchasing jewellery, garments and other articles during marriage seasons. This brings millions here almost daily from adjoining areas. Even its two famous cremation ghats of Manikarnika and Harishchandra earn handsome money daily from the bodies which are brought here from adjoining districts.
But Modi’s nomination now makes it a different ‘mandi’. It is expected that thousands of people who come here would carry political messages. There is a reversal of trend. In business, mandi money comes to Varanasi, while in political mandi, the idea emanating from here will transmit across the region.
Patron of Kashi Vyapar Pratinidhi Mandal, the biggest group of traders, Ghanshyam Jaiswal said Modi wave would influence voters in the entire Purvanchal as businessmen are looking towards him with high hope. They believe that the backwardness would transform under Modi’s leadership.
He further says: “As I often visit Surat in Gujarat in connection with business and changes are visible there. The businessmen especially associated with textile industry are confident that if Modi wins from here and becomes PM, the old and traditional Banarasi saree industry would be revived in coming years.”
However, Dr Arun Kumar Srivastava, teacher, Department of Political Science, DAV P-G College, thinks differently. “Crowd in Modi’s roadshow was due to good management of party besides corporate world is backing him. It may be possible that Modi influences upper caste and creamy layer OBC to some extent but silence of Mayawati during entire campaigning prove that her vote bank is still intact,” he said adding that Modi is just wooing people emotionally in this belt of Purvanchal where social justice is yet to be implemented on ground levels.
“Besides, social structure of Purvanchal is totally different from Gujarat as is the catchment areas of river Ganga from Sabarmati,” he says.