Pandey vs Pandey in UP's holy city

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Keywords: Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Varanasi: Elections in Uttar Pradesh have entered the sixth phase and upper caste votes could well decide poll outcomes.

In the absence of a clear party of preference, the Brahmins of UP are confused about their choices.

In Saidpur constituency in Varanasi, it’s a battle between a Brahmin from the Bahujan Samaj Party and a Brahmin from the Bharatiya Janta Party, both equally sure of victory.

Dinanath Pandey is the BSP candidate in Saidpur constituency in Varanasi. A proud Brahmin, Pandey wears a spotless white kurta and his identity on his sleeves, waters his tulsi plant religiously and has the pictures of Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu on his walls.

But on his car, he proudly flaunts the flag of his party’s Dalit and says Mayawati is the only leader of the Brahmins.

“Mayawati and I believe in the same thing. Law and order above all else,” he says.

From the same constituency, another Pandey readies for his day out. Mahendranath Pandey is the BJP candidate from Saidpur. He too prays at his family temple every evening after campaigning ends and says Mayawati is a fraud.

“She is wooing brahims to win the election and will do an about turn after May 11,” he says.

With the BSP giving 86 tickets to Brahmins and almost every other party going all out to woo them, upper caste preferences could well decide poll outcomes.

In the city’s famous Sankat Mochan temple, another Brahmin – Congress’ Pramod Pandey -

weighs his options, knowing fully well that he has social power.

“Brahmins were confused. But they will vote for the party that protects their rights,” he says.

The Tripathis and Tiwaris of the Congress are gone. Atal Behari Vajpayee is fading into the sunset and Uttar Pradesh has no Brahmin leaders anymore.

So who will the Brahmin vote for? He doesn't quite know who his friends are, but he does know who his enemy is and he will vote for any party that can defeat incumbent Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. But which is that party – Haathi (BSP), Kamal (BJP) or Haath (Congress)?

The Brahmins will undoubtedly make a clever choice. After all, in religion, as in politics, the Brahmin always salutes the rising sun.