UP polls: Varanasi puts brakes on roadshow

Lucknow: The Varanasi district administration has denied permission for a joint roadshow scheduled to be held by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday.

The Congress postponed the roadshow to February 17 or 18. Varanasi is the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The district officials have declined to give permission, citing the Ravidas Jayanti as the reason.

Officials said that a large number of people turn up in Varanasi on Ravidas Jayanti to celebrate the occasion and a road show would cause “inconvenience” to the people.

The district administration’s decision, however, is not without political overtones as the BJP, for which the Varanasi seat is a matter of prestige, has been facing a revolt-like situation from its cadres following ticket distribution.

Veteran party leader Shyamdev Roychaudhary has been denied a ticket from the Varanasi south seat for no apparent reason.

Efforts by Uttar Pradesh BJP president Keshav Maurya to pacify the veteran leader have proved futile and demonstrations are being held by the BJP’s Varanasi unit on the issue.

It may be recalled that a roadshow held in August 2016 by Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Varanasi had proved to be a huge success.

Mrs Gandhi, who fell ill during the roadshow and had to return to Delhi without completing the programme, now plans to visit Varanasi to offer prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Her visit could provide a major boost for the Congress in the district.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav have already held two roadshows in Lucknow and Agra.

Elections in Varanasi will be held in the last phase of the UP polls.