Gorakhpur: Gorakhpur, the longstanding stronghold of Gorakshpeeth for over three decades, is drawing national attention as the Lok Sabha elections approach. BJP MP Ravi Kishan, aiming for a second term, is relying heavily on the influential legacy of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who represented the constituency for five terms.
Ravi Kishan faces SP candidate Kajal Nishad from the India Bloc, with the opposition banking on caste dynamics to garner votes. Despite this, it is widely acknowledged that the temple’s influence remains paramount in the region. In Gorakhpur, the dominance of the temple supersedes caste considerations.
“This is Gorakhpur, where Yogi’s name prevails. 'Maharaj ji' (as Yogi is known locally) ka naam hi kaafi hai. Whoever wins elections here does so because of Yogi ji,” stated Dinesh Pratap, a local resident.
Yogi Adityanath’s influence in Gorakhpur transcends religious divides. "Most shops selling memorabilia around the Gorakshpeeth temple are owned by Muslims. They benefit from the temple’s patronage and vote for the BJP out of respect for Maharaj ji," explained Narendra Nath Srivastava, a retired government official.
This blend of religious and political loyalty highlights Yogi Adityanath's enduring impact, making Gorakhpur a BJP bastion.
Historically, Congress held sway over the Gorakhpur seat, winning six out of eight elections until 1984. This changed with Mahant Digvijaynath’s 1967 victory and Janata Party’s Harikesh Bahadur’s win during the 1977 anti-Emergency wave.
Since 1984, Congress has struggled to regain its position. From the late 1980s, Gorakshpeeth reasserted its dominance with Mahant Avedyanath winning three consecutive terms from 1989 to 1996, followed by Yogi Adityanath’s five-term tenure from 1998 to 2014. Prior to them, Mahant Digvijaynath represented Gorakhpur in 1967, with Avedyanath succeeding him post-1969.
The Ram Mandir movement saw Avedyanath return to politics in 1989 under the Hindu Mahasabha, eventually aligning with the BJP. This partnership continued with Yogi Adityanath, solidifying Gorakshpeeth’s grip on the constituency.
In recent elections, the BJP swept all nine seats in the Gorakhpur and Basti divisions, underscoring the influence of Nath Peeth. Since Yogi Adityanath became Chief Minister in 2017, Ravi Kishan has been the MP, emphasizing his allegiance to Gorakshpeeth and Yogi’s leadership.
The opposition’s strategy appears to be hindered by the temple’s influence. Although SP candidate Praveen Nishad won the 2018 by-election, the BJP reclaimed the seat in the 2019 general elections. The SP’s current candidate, Kajal Nishad, faces a challenging battle in this Nath Peeth-dominated region.
Despite efforts to mobilize the Nishad community, SP candidates have historically underperformed in general elections. Ravi Kishan’s decisive win over SP’s Rambhual Nishad has led the SP to field Kajal Nishad, yet the Nishad Party remains aligned with the BJP.
Ravi Kishan’s campaign reinforces the message that Gorakhpur is a "temple seat." Both the BJP and Ravi Kishan are acutely aware that Nath Peeth’s influence traditionally outweighs caste dynamics. Their strategy is to maintain this faith-based loyalty for another term.
The upcoming elections will test the resilience of Gorakshpeeth’s influence against the opposition's caste-based strategy. As political activities intensify, the entire nation watches closely, anticipating the outcome in this crucial constituency.
