Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking re-election from the Varanasi constituency for the third consecutive time in the upcoming seventh and final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Varanasi, a key constituency, will go to the polls on June 1.
Total of seven candidates are vying for the seat, with 36 nomination papers being rejected during the scrutiny process. According to the Election Commission of India, 15 nomination papers have been accepted for the Varanasi parliamentary seat, as many candidates submitted multiple sets of nomination papers.
The Contenders
Ajay Rai (Congress):
Ajay Rai, contesting from Varanasi for the third time, previously lost to PM Modi in both the 2014 and 2019 elections. Rai’s political career began with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and he later became the convener of the BJP’s student wing, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). He was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on a BJP ticket in 1996, 2002, and 2007 from the Kolasla seat in Varanasi. Rai left the BJP in 2009 after being denied a Lok Sabha ticket.
Ather Jamal Lari (Bahujan Samaj Party):
A seasoned politician from Varanasi, Lari has been involved in socialist politics since the 1960s but has never won an election. He made his electoral debut in 1984 from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat on a Janata Party ticket and lost. In 2004, he contested the Lok Sabha polls from Varanasi for the Apna Dal. Lari supported the Samajwadi Party (SP) in the 2022 Assembly polls but joined the BSP afterward.
Kolisetty Shiva Kumar (Yuga Thulasi Party):
Hailing from Hyderabad, Shiva Kumar is a former board member of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. He has dedicated his life to cow protection, running three gaushalas in Hyderabad. Shiva Kumar and the Yuga Thulasi Party have clashed with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), alleging their symbol is too similar to the BRS’s.
Gagan Prakash Yadav (Apna Dal, Kameravadi)
Yadav represents the Apna Dal (K), led by MLA Pallavi Patel. His campaign has recently been halted due to the tragic loss of his brother in a road accident. Yadav's party split from the SP, citing inadequate representation for Dalits, Backward, and minority communities.
Dinesh Kumar Yadav (Independent):
A three-time corporator from Sikraul, Varanasi, Dinesh Kumar has been politically active for 15 years and was formerly with the BJP until he decided to run as an independent candidate.
Sanjay Kumar Tiwari (Independent):
Based in New Delhi, Tiwari is a social worker involved in movements for the welfare of workers and laborers. He follows Gandhian philosophy and is contesting from Varanasi as a critic of PM Modi.
Historical Context
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi faced 41 candidates in Varanasi. The number of contenders dropped to 26 in the 2019 elections. This year, with only seven candidates in the fray, the contest in Varanasi remains highly anticipated.
The election results will be closely watched, as PM Modi seeks to retain his stronghold in Varanasi amidst a diverse set of challengers.
