In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured victory in the Varanasi constituency, Uttar Pradesh, for the third consecutive time. However, his victory margin decreased significantly compared to previous elections. Let’s delve into the details:
The Numbers:
- Modi polled 6,12,970 votes, securing a vote share of 54.24 percent.
- His victory margin over Congress candidate Ajay Rai was 1,52,513 votes.
- Notably, this margin is less than what he achieved in 2019 and 2014.
Previous Elections:
- In 2019, Modi garnered 6,74,664 votes, defeating Samajwadi Party’s Shalini Yadav by a margin of 4,79,505 votes.
- In his debut contest from Varanasi in 2014, Modi’s victory margin against Aam Aadmi Party’s Arvind Kejriwal was 3,71,784 votes.
Why the Drop in Victory Margin?
- Modi’s decision to contest from Varanasi was strategic. The city’s location straddles both Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, two states that collectively send 120 MPs to Parliament. Winning a significant portion of these seats is crucial for any national party aspiring to form the central government.
- Additionally, Varanasi (also known as Kashi) holds immense cultural significance. It is associated with Lord Shiva and is embroiled in the Gyanvapi mosque dispute. Similar to Ayodhya and Mathura, the Gyanvapi issue gained prominence after the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi verdict in 2019.
2024 Scenario:
- In the recent election, Modi’s vote share declined to 54.24 percent, a drop of over nine percentage points.
- Ajay Rai, representing the Congress, secured the second position with 1,52,548 votes (14.38 percent).
