Poll speculation on Modi- Priyanka continue

The speculation around Prime Minister Narendra Modi contesting from a second seat now from West Bengal refuses to die down despite a somewhat cryptic denial by BJP chief Amit Shah that there is no such plan “as if now”.

Similar is the speculation about Priyanka Gandhi from Congress being fielded from Varanasi, the Parliamentary seat of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The buzz around the two high-profile candidates continues as polling of two phases is over and top leaders hit the ground in every nook and corner of the nation.


On Priyanka, the speculation gained further momentum after her rather frank remarks “if my Congress President tells me to contest, I will be happy to contest” when asked the possibility of her contesting from Varanasi. Earlier she had remarked in a lighter vein “why not from Varanasi” when asked whether she could be the Congress candidate from her mother’s Parliamentary seat Raebareli. Later this speculation ended as Congress re-named Sonia Gandhi its candidate from Raebareli. But the party has maintained the suspense over the speculation of fielding Priyanka Gandhi from Varanasi.

There is a view that if Priyanka Gandhi contests Varanasi, it will not only force the Prime Minister to remain confined a bit more to Varanasi but could also give a fillip to Congress performance in some more seats.

So is the speculation around Modi contesting a second seat.

Whether Prime Minister Modi will contest for a second seat probably in West Bengal was the first question at the press conference of BJP Chief Amit Shah in Kolkata on Monday during which he repeatedly talked about the “decisive and strong leadership” of Modi and impressed upon the need for a “change” in the politics of West Bengal as well as the nation.

“ No there is no such plan as of now,” Shah said when asked about the possibility of Modi contesting from West Bengal as well.

For last many months, there has been a speculation that Modi under the BJP’s ‘Look East” strategy might contest either from the temple town of Puri in Odisha or Kolkata in West Bengal to give a fillip to BJP’s performance from either of these two states, which the saffron party treats as new catchment area from where it can make up for the likely losses in North Indian state Uttar Pradesh.

Karnataka and Kerala (after Hindutva surge post-Sabrimala agitation) were other states in the list, where the speculation of Modi contesting was doing the rounds. There was a strong buzz in Karnataka that Modi might consider contesting from Bangalore South, the seat represented by former Union Minister Ananth Kumar.


However, speculations in other states were scotched after the BJP announced the name of a young politician Tejaswi Surya from Bangalore South, its spokesperson Sambit Patra from the temple town of Puri and K Surendran from Pathanamthitta seat in Kerala.

So the spotlight is now on West Bengal.

In Kolkata this month, Prime Minister Modi addressed a rally in the historic Brigade Parade Ground.

Hoping for high gains in Mamata Banerjee-.ruled West Bengal, where of late it has found some traction in urban areas and upper caste voters in particular on its Hindutva plank, the BJP has held over 300 rallies.

“West Bengal is the top priority for the party,” a party functionary maintains.

At the press conference, Shah asked voters from the rural areas in West Bengal to come out to vote without fear citing the presence of CRPF and also “Praharis” of BJP. He also referred to the killings of BJP workers including Shishupal recently to hammer home his allegation of “the murder of democracy” in West Bengal.

Referring to literary and spiritual icons of West Bengal as well as Jana Sangh founder member Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Shah promised to build a “Sonar Bangla” (Golden Bengal) if BJP was voted to power in the state.