2014 General Elections

[rhytha]

Shared on my Facebook.

Ram Nath Yadav is a taxi driver. Driving around UP, in the thick of the election season. Catching the pulse of people in various constituencies. Rai Bareilly, Varanasi, Lucknow, Jaunpur, Unnao, Kanpur, Ghazipur ... and his own, Amethi.



The Indian election throbs strong and clear in the heart of UP. For good reason. Numbers. 80 seats, up for grabs. But like it is with India. There is no 1 UP. There are many constituencies, diverse. Each with their own dynamics. Some to do with the idea of India, most to do with their very real, everyday living and lives. Up, close, and personal.



In an hour long chat, Yadav ji gives me his version of the elections in UP. Through the lens of his many gupshups ... on the road.



"There is a Modi wave, didi, no doubt. मगर, अगर वो इस बार अा गये तो अा गये. वरना, party में बांकी सब उन्हें टिकने नहीं देंगे! अब देखिये... in Banaras, he has displaced Murali Manohar Joshi. Brahmins, some 1.5 lakh votes, are not all happy with that. Joshi is now standing from Kanpur. In Kanpur, his contest is mainly with Sriprakash Jaiswal, Cong का coal boy. Likely, Joshi will be defeated by Jaiswal. अौर तब फूटेगा गुब्बार! Ego तकरार between him and Modi, सब जानते हैं!"



"अब, Rajnath Singh को देखिये," says Yadav ji, " he is in a फिराक़ to become the PM himself. If BJP does not get a majority, then the strings can be pulled through one of the coalition partners and a 'regular' BJP leader can become the PM. Rajnath Singh is waiting for that moment."



What about SP and BSP? I ask him. " They have their voter base. Loyal, and rock solid."



"I was in Ghazipur last night. In a dhaba, eating food. I told the folks there, why do you want to vote for SP? The men, caught me. Took me to a side. Told me to never say such a thing again. Or i will be bashed up. "हम Yadav के बच्चे हैं. No matter who we vote for ... no one will believe. If you say Congress, or BJP. What is the proof?! Our name has a ठप्पा of SP. Better stick to your own, भईय्या!"



Ram Nath Yadav gives me a list of the candidates who will win, who will loose. On those he is sure. But what is amazing for our taxi bhaiyya, is: "Who is Modi? We hadn't heard of him much before. Now, he is our only hope! He has done a lot of good in Gujarat, so they say. Ab i have never traveled there, so i don't know. But ... let's see what he does!"



So, will Modi come into power then?



Yadav ji responds, " I stopped in a Banaras dhaba. Folks there explained to me, its a three way battle. Last time in Banaras, Mukhtar Ansari had lost by just about 15000 votes. It is not in lakhs but in 1000s. Every vote counts. And the deciding factor will be the Muslims. Their choice is the person who beats Modi. Kejriwal or Cong's Ajay Rai, who has a good support as he is the only local candidate, serving MLA. Muslims are a good 400,000 votes. So where they go, if they can go collectively, is the decision."



"And your place, Amethi? Rahul baba?! Will he be able to win this time?" I twinkle smile and ask. Yadav ji laughs at my naive question, "Rahul Gandhi will win, now. He will win in future. You know why? Because Gandhi's have made us Amethiwalas, who we are. Whenever we go out somewhere, we say, we are from Amethi. Everyone knows. They are from VIP consituency. Not just in India, even outside. They treat us with respect. Gandhi family is connected to us. We never will want to loose that power. So, Rahul Gandhi will win. Yes, maybe his votes decrease, 3 lakh becomes 2 lakh. But win, he will."



With this i am welcomed to the battleground of UP, where everyone loves a good fight. Here the categories, are clear. No winners. No losers. Only रसिक. And bores.