It is highly unlikely that the politically sharp voters of Varanasi will vote for someone who wants to be someone else. They have never let anybody use them for their own purpose.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal is working on expected lines. Encouraged by his win over former Delhi chief minister Shiela Dikshit, he has decided to take BJP’s prime ministerial candidate and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi head on. He believes that he can repeat the magical spin of numbers from Uttar Pardesh’s Varanasi too from where Modi has decided to contest general elections.
Although he has made up his mind, just like other times he has put this responsibility too on the shoulders of the aam aadmi to decide for him whether he should contest or not from the same constituency. In other words, it’s just a matter of time when Kejriwal will announce that he is contesting from the same Varanasi constituency because “janata chahti hai”.
But will it affect the outcome?
Varanasi is a city where people have always given a clear decision about what they want. In the highly politicized atmosphere of UP, Varanasi is the city which knows that it will be hosting a future PM. Kejriwal is a former CM of Delhi who gave up his seat in impatience and is adamant on remaining an activist rather than working and finding solutions like an administrator.
So, who needs him in Varanasi? It is highly unlikely that the politically sharp voters of Varanasi will vote for someone who wants to be someone else. They have never let anybody use them for their own purpose. And it is almost impossible that they will let somebody do the same this time.
People very well are aware that Kejriwal is even thinking from contesting from the same seat as Modi because he foresees a future which is a win-win in any case at the cost of what happens to his competition.
If Kejriwal loses his deposit, he will say only he had the guts to take on Modi although there are other candidates from BSP and SP contesting for the seat. If he loses, he can charge Modi of spending money like water. If he wins – well nothing to say much about it.
Kejriwal is ensuring the limelight for himself in any case. But people of Varanasi have nothing more to gain from it. As Kejriwal has proven, merely winning from a seat does not ensure that the government that will be formed will take the responsibility for the people.
People are very well aware of all the tactics that Kejriwal uses because he has shown almost all his cards by now. In this scenario, it is unlikely that they will vote for him, even if they do not vote for Modi.
Yeh public hai, sab janti hai.
