The daughter of Rajiv Gandhi and grand daughter of Indira Gandhi – Priyanka Gandhi Vadra – certainly has her popularity in the ancient temple city.
In order to encash on the acceptability of her face, the Congress poll strategists organised a roadshow here for Gandhi Vadra in Varanasi on Wednesday just three days before polling on May 19.
Congress has fielded Ajay Rai, a senior leader, from the prestigious constituency against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While Modi, who won the 2014 battle here with a convincing margin of over three lakh votes, is seeking re-election, the SP-BSP-RLD combine has fielded Shalini Yadav, daughter-in-law of a former Congress leader of Varanasi.
As Gandhi Vadra undertook the roadshow alongside the Congress nominee Ajay Rai and Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, a mixed crowd of youth – certainly Congress enthusiasts and others had gathered for the solemn occasion. “A sea of supporters welcomed her….This shows Congress support base here,” said party worker Sushil Anand.
This is Gandhi Vadra’s first visit to Varanasi after Ajay Rai’s name was cleared as the party nominee. The roadshow was accompanied by drum beats and anti-government slogans. Earlier Priyanka also paid tribute Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya.
The roadshow in Varanasi has its own importance as the city is also the nerve centre of politics in eastern Uttar Pradesh. The gathering on both sides of the roads during the 3-km roadshow also included a large number of women and many of them said they would have preferred Gandhi Vadra herself contesting from Varanasi.
Most of them said they would vote for Congress but there were exceptions too.
Thirty five year old Amar Pandey said he was there as a ‘curiosity factor’ to see Gandhi Vadra but his vote was reserved for Prime Minister Modi.
A large number of traders – whose shops were shut down owing to security reasons – however complained against the netas in general staging a roadshow and then “forgetting the city and common people”.
“Our Varanasi has turned out to be a city of potholes and under construction roads and bridges. No one actually cares for the people,” says Santosh Agarwal, a sweet shop owner.
Enthusiastic minority community people waited for long at Madanpura locality.
