He took on Narendra Modi in 2014 and is again mounting a challenge on behalf of his party this time.. But those who had shops, their livelihoods have been destroyed. They have totally joined forces with the BJP. In an election that is quite obviously one-sided, with Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi refusing to take the bait of a contest against the Prime Minister, it is AJAI RAI who is leading the battlefront on his party’s behalf. about the safety of their families and children and that is why they are not speaking. We have lodged an FIR. It is hard to believe that they did not have their own candidate.But people seem largely satisfied. On the other hand, under the garb of making the Kashi Vishwanath corridor, he has destroyed temples and houses. The BJP has destroyed Banarasi culture.Which communities will come out in favour of the Congress?We will get the votes of Brahmins (100 per cent), Bhumihars (50-60 per cent), Banias (20-25 per cent), Muslims (100 per cent) and poor people across the board.. He had said that jobs would be created and factories would be set up.People spoke out against this, but the administration buried the matter.Haven’t these people been relocated?People who had houses have been relocated to faraway places. Local BJP leaders did not speak. All those whose shops and houses have been broken for the Kashi Vishwanath corridor will vote for the Congress. Even Muslims oppose this. No local has got any job. They just sat at home..Speculation was rife about Priyanka Gandhi contesting from Varanasi. Nothing has happened. The people of Varanasi have been overlooked in its own development story. I, myself, have been a victim. They are scared of false cases being filed against them.How do you think the SP-BSP-RLD gathbandhan would fare?The gathbandhan is supporting the BJP.

I have been targeted for speaking out and was in jail for seven months. In an interview with SREEPARNA CHAKRABARTY, Mr Rai talks about how things were in favour of the Congress this time and that he is confident of mounting a tough challenge to Mr Modi.The city’s heritage has been destroyed by demolishing houses along the Kashi Vishwanath corridor. Despite Narendra Modi being the local member of Parliament, we have increased our seat tally from 5-6 to 20-22. The BJP, for that matter, is even losing Gujarat. Some Chinese lights have been put up on roads and government hospitals have been remodelled, but nothing big has happened. People are scared.The BJP will have to pay for the temples which were broken for the Kashi Vishwanath corridor project. Why did they not wait for the Congress to announce its candidate before fielding their own candidate?They have fielded Shalini Yadav, who china light bar was earlier with the Congress.All the work for development of the corridor has been given to Gujaratis. All sections and castes of Hindus are extremely religious here. Shalini Yadav has only fought a mayoral election.What are the issues on which you will challenge Mr Modi?Mr Modi had come to Varanasi in 2014 and had promised to make Varanasi another Kyoto. But the lore goes that during Aurangzeb’s time people had built their homes around the temples to hide them.Mr Modi said that people occupied the temples and built their homes to hide them. If she had come to Varanasi it would have been good and Mr Modi would have lost. People here are very religious.How well do you think your party will fare in these polls?Things are in our favour.Varanasi is known for its temples. Even in the Sangam at Allahabad, all contracts have been given to Gujarati companies. They had 26 seats earlier, this time Congress will get at least 8-10 seats. On May 19, they will give their decision. Nobody had asked for such a corridor. In the recent Varanasi municipal elections, we were in second position.As of now, there is no polarisation here. People are quiet as they are scared.

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