In 2014, a phenomenal political performance by the then candidate Narendra Modi clinched Varanasi as his ‘karmabhoomi’. Expectations soared to unimaginable heights as to how he would transform Kashi to Kyoto.

Since then, PM Modi has tried to deliver, by flooding the 2,500-year-old sacred city with projects worth thousands of crores. Almost every government department did their bit for the prime minister’s constituency. Most admit that the push to clean Kashi and make it a smart city, was also unprecedented.

But as Varanasi folks take stock of Modi ji’s performance, there are strong voices of dissent surfacing from within the ancient city. These are voices that offer a rare glimpse into the minds of those who believed in the idea of ‘Modi’s India’. It raises obvious questions as to whether there is growing dissatisfaction with the BJP even in supposedly safe seats like Varanasi, and whether this sentiment will shape voting behaviour.

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