PM Modi's Varanasi Challengers: Ex-BJP Leader, Veteran Politician, And A Comedian

Prime Minister Narendra Modi filed his nomination from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday. Varanasi, a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party, has witnessed Modi winning comfortably in the past two general elections — during the 2014 and 2019.

Come 2024, the Congress has nominated Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief Ajay Rai to contest against Modi in Varanasi, making it Rai's third consecutive challenge to the prime minister in a Lok Sabha contest.

It is noteworthy that Varanasi will vote on June 1 in the seventh phase of the elections.

As per the Election Commission's website, a total of 42 candidates have submitted their nominations for the Varanasi seat. Among them, the Bahujan Samaj Party, led by Mayawati, has put forward Ather Jamal Lari to take on Modi. Internet comedian, Shyam Rangeela, known for his viral mimicry act of Modi in 2016, is also in the fray as an independent candidate.

PM Modi's competitors include Kolisetty Shiva Kumar from Yuga Thulasi Party, Awachit Shamrao Sayam from Janseva Gondwana Party, Paras Nath Keshari from Rashtriya Samajwadi Jankranti Party, Gagan Prakash from Apna Dal (Kamerawadi), and Abhishek Prajaprati from Bahadur Aadmi Party among others.

INDIA alliance's Ajay Rai has had a diverse political journey. Formerly associated with the BJP, the five-time MLA from Varanasi is currently the Uttar Pradesh Congress chief. He began his political career as an RSS 'karyakarta' and was once a convenor of the BJP's student wing ABVP. Rai actively participated in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement as well. 

In 90s, Rai defeated the nine-time incumbent Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA Udal from the Kolasla seat, and this winning streak persisted into 2002, Subsequently, Rai earned a ministerial position as the state minister for cooperatives in the Mayawati-led BSP-BJP alliance government.

However, Rai's allegiance shifted in 2007 following BJP's nomination of veteran leader Murli Manohar Joshi as the Lok Sabha candidate from Varanasi. Leading Rai to join the Samajwadi Party, where he lost the election against Joshi.

Rai's association with the Congress began in 2012, marked by his successful candidacy from Pindra (formerly Kolasla), where he won against a BJP opponent.

Bahujan Samaj Party has nominated Ather Jamal Lari to contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi. Lari, a resident of Varanasi, has a long-standing involvement in politics since 1980, affiliating with parties such as the Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, Apna Dal, and the Rashtriya Ekta Dal. Despite previous unsuccessful attempts in assembly and Lok Sabha elections, Lari aims to secure Muslim support in a constituency traditionally won by PM Modi.

Lari's entry from Varanasi signifies BSP's attempt to consolidate Muslim support in the constituency, which boasts over three lakh Muslim voters. The BSP's move is similar to BSP high command Mayawati's decision to field Mukhtar Ansari against BJP's Murli Manohar Joshi in 2009, where despite Joshi's victory, Ansari secured the second position with 1.85 lakh votes.

Comedian Shyam Rangeela, known for his mimicry of Prime Minister Modi, declared his candidacy against the PM in Varanasi for the Lok Sabha elections on May 1. He announced his candidature on his social media handles. Rangeela emphasized that he aims to prevent a repeat of incidents like Surat and Chandigarh by providing an alternative to voters of Varanasi.

Originally from Rajasthan, Rangeela gained prominence through videos mimicking the Prime Minister, with his first viral imitation of Mr. Modi dating back to 2016. Employing guerrilla-style filming, he blended an uncanny imitation of the Prime Minister's voice with topical memes. Moreover, he was also a contestant in 'The Great Indian Laughter Challenge,' where he also mimicked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Rangeela asked his followers to assist him in navigating the nomination procedure, citing his unfamiliarity with the process. He also urged his follower base to support him financially, claiming he hasn't accessed any electoral bonds. This aligns with his campaign against PM Modi, heavily targeting electoral bonds.