Ali’s ghazals are fine but Lucknow sings Vajpayee’s tune

Nobody, not even the SP workers, has any doubts about the outcome of the polls here. Ali’s rival has been winning this seat and he happens to be the BJP’s shadow prime minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee.

The only surprise this election may throw up is: a section of Shia Muslims would vote for the BJP. The stage has already been set by a prominent Shia leader, Maulana Agha Ruhi, byjoining the BJP last week.

“The BJP Government in the State has done a world of good for the community by resolving the contentious Azadari issue which was hanging fire for the past 21 years,” says Arshad Khan, a young property dealer of Khurramnagar. Munne Mian, a bystander, adds: “Atal is definitely a better choice any day than any other leader”.

A section of Muslims cite Vajpayee’s efforts as External Affairs Minister in 1977 to ease relations with Pakistan as a reflection of his sincerity towards the welfare of the community. “He facilitated our visits to our relatives across the border,” says Ahmad Moinuddin, a trader.

Even staunch Samajwadi Party loyalists feel that party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has virtually given a walk-over to Vajpayee by fielding a weak candidate in Muzaffar Ali. For, the former Nawab of Kotwara estate in Lakhimpur Kheri district has not been in touch with Lucknow.

Ali, incidentally, has been leaning on cultural degradation of Awadh to win over the people of Lucknow.But his appeals don’t seem to have the desired effect.

It’s clearly a lopsided contest in Lucknow. None of the 11 candidates in this constituency is able to match Vajpayee’s stature. Still Vajpayee spared three days to campaign in his constituency which goes to polls on February 22. As many Lucknowites are proud of electing the “next prime minister”, Vajpayee has a clear edge over his rivals.

Ali’s allegation that Vajpayee, instead of participating in the freedom struggle, had apologised to the British Government, too, has boomeranged on him. BJP workers have countered it, saying that Ali’s father, Sajid Ali, had sided with the British and in return was awarded with the Qaiserbagh bungalow in Lucknow though it was constructed by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah.

The BSP candidate, Dr Dauji Gupta, who has been Lucknow Mayor thrice, tried to accuse Vajpayee of neglecting the development of his constituency. But the BJP distributed booklets detailing development works initiated by Vajpayee.

“It was because ofGupta’s apathy towards development of the State capital that the BJP was forced to bring a no-confidence motion against him during his third term as Mayor,” says Vajpayee’s campaign manager and State Urban Development Minister Lalji Tandon.

Vajpayee won here in 1991 when he defeated Congress candidate Ranjit Singh by 1.17 lakh votes. In 1996, SP candidate Raj Babbar lost to him by a margin of 1.18 lakh votes.

Ranjit Singh is again in the fray but has not been able to leave any impact on voters who have been taking him to task for his seven-year absence from Lucknow.