Battle for Varanasi: Modi and Rai Lead Rivalry in Key Electoral Contest

Spanning across five assembly segments – Rohaniya, Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantt, and Sevapuri – this constituency holds paramount importance in the Indian political landscape.

Renowned for being the parliamentary bastion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has represented it twice, Varanasi promises a riveting electoral showdown this time around. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart Modi is set to seek re-election, carrying the weight of his party’s legacy and his personal rapport with the constituency.

However, the contest is far from one-sided. The Congress, in a bid to challenge Modi’s dominance, has once again nominated Ajai Rai as its candidate. Rai, the current Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, brings a rich political history to the table. A former associate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Rai’s journey has seen him traverse party lines, from the BJP to the Congress. With a solid track record as a five-time Member of Legislative Assembly from Varanasi, Rai’s candidacy adds layers of intrigue to the electoral narrative.

The Varanasi constituency, historically a BJP stronghold since 1991, witnessed Modi’s resounding victories in both the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In 2019, Modi secured an unprecedented 674,664 votes, eclipsing his nearest rival, Shalini Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, by a staggering margin.

Reflecting on past electoral contests, the 2014 polls saw Modi triumph over Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) by a formidable margin of 371,784 votes. Meanwhile, the Congress’ Ajai Rai secured a distant third position, underlining the formidable challenge that lies ahead for him in the current electoral battle.

The electoral landscape is further diversified with candidates like Athar Jamal Lari from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Gagan Prakash Yadav representing Apna Dal – Kamerawadi, and independents like Sanjay Kumar Tiwari and Dinesh Kumar Yadav, all vying for their share of the political pie.

As the campaign frenzy escalates and the electorate prepares to cast its vote, Varanasi braces itself for a showdown of epic proportions, where political legacies clash and the destiny of a constituency hangs in the balance.

The stage is set for a spectacle that could potentially reshape the contours of Indian politics.