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It was the spectacle of the broom that dominated the second day of Arvind Kejriwal’s campaign in Varanasi, as his cavalcade passed through remote areas of the holy city.
As jeeps and SUVs, carrying jhaadu wielding workers, were heading towards rural segments Sevapuri and Rohaniya, many villagers showed up out of curiosity.
Kejriwal’s plan is clear: Making an AAP imprint in the form of either the jhaadu or an AAP cap in every household in the villages.
Not everyone knew what the Delhi-based party stood for. More than the party, the cap was familiar. For, it was associated with Anna Hazare.
“A few of us here had campaigned during the Jan Lok Pal Movement for Annaji,” said Abhiyansh Pandey, a villager.
Commuters, who struggled to make their way out of traffic jams quite often wondered, “Where is netaji?”
At Bhairav Talab, the AAP chief halted to sit with the pradhan of the village and have a cup of tea with him.
His strategy was to launch an all-out offensive against Modi. “He (Modi) will take away your land and you will be left with nothing,” Kejriwal said at Kardhana, a Muslim-dominated village. This rural area was inhabited mostly by the Muslim weavers, a class Kejriwal looks to target in Varanasi.
“We need such strong politicians,” said Rahiz Ahmed, a villager.
“It is very important to defeat Modi this time... Do not vote for the lotus,” Kejriwal told a group of 300 people.
Party woos weavers
Arvind Kejriwal met a group of 500 weavers and listened to their plight. Weavers are a key segment of the Varanasi electorate. “This industry is the backbone of eastern Uttar Pradesh and the government has neglected it,” said Atiq Ansari, a weaver. Kejriwal promised to take up their cause.
