When Benaras became VAR-NASI

The kaaba of Hind has fiddled with many secrets before, architected many arrivals but never did the city witness such attention over administration. Untouched by political sympathies, Varanasi, the city of idols has become the centre of scrutiny for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Rediscovering the cultural diversity of the city, Arvind Kejriwal agreed to contest from Varanasi, embarking the Modi V/s Kejriwal battle.

The antiquity of Varanasi is a witness of BJP’s bastion in the city. Known as the favorite city of Lord Shiva, the ‘shiv nagari’ plays more on religion than on progress. Taking into account the demographic audience of the city, victory of Naredra Modi seems intuitive. What appears to be a confrontment of past with the future is just an ephemera of the magic of democracy. And yet the hope of survival makes the battle more terrible.

Arvind Kejriwal

With BJP announcing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as its candidate from Varanasi, there isn’t much for other parties to do. Annunciating his willingness to fight from Varanasi, Arvind Kejriwal said that he was ready for the “big challenge”. Unfazed by the challenges ahead, Aam Aadmi party leader Arvind Kejriwal will hold a rally in the city on 23^rd March.

As Kejriwal and Modi immerse themselves in the battle of Benaras, chances of a third party taking away the crown is huge.  With Muslims constituting 16% of the population, dismissing Mukhtar  Ansari, a candidate of Quami Ekta Dal would be a great mistake. Known for his Robin Hood style, Ansari is extremely popular among Muslims of the city. Earlier Ansari’s wife was supposed to contest from Varanasi but on learning that Modi will be fighting from the city, Mukhtar Ansari stood in the race. Undermining a candidate with such political record would be an extensive mistake for BJP and AAP. 

Mocking its survival, Congress announced that it would give a good fight to Modi. At a time when the focus of the entire country is on Modi vs Kejriwal, Congress’s claim of giving a tough fight is ridiculing. While there are questions over Narendra Modi fleeing from his own state, fighting from a safe seat; it cannot be denied that the fate of BJP depends on this constituency.

It was Kanshi Ram’s lost battle in Allahabad that brought Bahujan Samaj party into light, chances of Varanasi doing the same for AAP is huge. While Benaras is a battle already won, it will get Aam Aadmi Party the required attention. As a party which has a huge base in metros, Varanasi would provide AAP with an opportunity to establish itself in inner cities and towns.

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This means war

PC : www.facesofwar.com

The time has come and the song has begun
people cheer while women fear 
it is war time , oh dear 
barrels are ready and so are swords 
the guns seem busy and so do guards 

eyes see no life as blood spill with little mercy
children wail but men , oh they don't fear 
come what may, they will march ahead 
as its time and dare can anybody stop them 

bows and arrows are a thing of past 
bullets and tanks buzz with command 
let the bravery veil upon
for there would be no peace 

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Not a Nayak,he is a 'Baazigar'

"Themselves they are still infants as regards governing or statesman. And their so called leaders are the worst of the lot" 

Cricketer and tea planter by profession, this anonymous British man knew India too well. India has come a long way since its days of incongruity and divisions, yet it continues to a country deep rooted in historical blunders. As leaders turned into politicians, three major problems of governance fell into a single category, politics. 

"Choose your love, love your choice." As a country which doesn't have too many national parties to fall in love with, the arrival of Aam Aadmi party was a breath of fresh air. While they couldn't sustain for long, Arvind Kejrival's stint as a Chief Minister for 49 days of winter did manage to persue politicians to reflect upon their party expenditure. Kejriwal might have failed to do a Nayak but his broom lived up to his image by unraveling left over drugs in a rally in Haryana which was supposedly held by its Chief Minister, Bhupendra Singh Hooda. From giving ticket to Jarnail Singh, the man who hurled a shoe at Chidambaram to taking out jhadu yaatra, AAP is doing it all. 

With AAP’s decision to go national, the thrust of reaching beyond the urban population increases. While the party seems quite enthusiastic about the elections likely to begin from April second week, the silence of its leader Arvind Kejriwal has a lot to say. His refusal to speak on the appeal of his members to contest from Varanasi as there is a buzz that the BJP PM candidate will be fielded from the constituency arises a sense of curiosity among people awaiting to hear from their leader who believes in transparency. 

PC : www.indianrealestateforum.com

Anna Hazare’s decision of backing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee came as a surprise to people who had once supported Anna’s Jan Lokpal Movement. Taking into account Anna’s earlier statements on politics and politicians, chances of many of his supporters drifting to Arvind Kejriwal are huge. As they say “It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend,” Anna’s saga of ‘logo ka saath’ is almost over. At a time when everything was going according to an animated by destiny plan, General VK Singh’s decision to join BJP added a twist to the tale. Whether this move of the former supporter of Anna joining a party as corrupt as Congress would turn out to be blessing for AAP remains a question only time could answer. 

Unlike other parties who believe in LRC (Language, Religion and Caste) as the only trump card for winning elections, AAP’s objective is the 'mudda of Aam Aadmi'. By giving ticket to Dr Raja Muzaffar, the most prominent RTI activist and journalist in Jammu and Kashmir, AAP has reconciled for the apolitical statement given by Manish Sisodia on Kashmir.

While AAP might not be as controversial as Congress or BJP, they sure a subject of interest among the youth. With opinion polls predicting BJP to lead the 2014 elections, chances of AAP coming anywhere close to victory is marginal. Kejriwal might not be the ultimate Nayak but his will to sustain and take his party ahead makes him a real Baazigar and why not, “haar ke jeetne wale ko hi toh baazigar kehte hai.”

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