'Gorakshpeeth' dominates caste in Gorakhpur where 'Yogi ka naam hi kaafi hai'

The influence of Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, transcends religious boundaries in this constituency.

As the traditional seat of Gorakshpeeth for over three decades, the political landscape in the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha constituency is under national scrutiny. MP Ravi Kishan, contesting for a second term on a BJP ticket, hopes to leverage the same influence that propelled his initial victory.

Ravi Kishan, banking on the support of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath—who served five terms as MP from Gorakhpur—is up against SP candidate Kajal Nishad from the India Bloc. The opposition alliance is relying on caste dynamics to secure votes, yet it is widely acknowledged that the temple's influence remains a formidable factor. This is the place where temples dominate caste.

“This is Gorakhpur, where Yogi’s name prevails. Maharaj ji (as Yogi is known among the local populace in Varanasi) ka naam hi kaafi hai. Whosoever wins elections from Gorakhpur wins it because of Yogi ji,” said Dinesh Pratap, a local resident in Gorakhpur.

The influence of Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, transcends religious boundaries in this constituency. "The majority of shops selling memorabilia around the Gorakshpeeth temple are owned by Muslims. They also benefit from the temple's patronage and, out of respect for Maharaj ji, they vote for the BJP," explained Narendra Nath Srivastava, a retired government official.

This unique blend of religious and political loyalty underscores Yogi Adityanath's enduring impact on Gorakhpur, shaping it into a bastion of support for the BJP.

Historically, Congress dominated the Gorakhpur seat, winning six out of eight elections until 1984. However, significant shifts occurred with Mahant Digvijaynath’s victory in 1967 and Janata Party’s Harikesh Bahadur during the 1977 anti-Emergency wave.

Since losing the seat in 1984, Congress has struggled to regain its foothold. From the late 1980s, Gorakshpeeth reasserted its dominance. Mahant Avedyanath secured three consecutive wins from 1989 to 1996, followed by Yogi Adityanath’s five victories from 1998 to 2014. Prior to them, Mahant Digvijaynath had represented Gorakhpur in 1967, with Avedyanath succeeding him post-1969.

The Ram Mandir movement saw Avedyanath’s return to politics in 1989 under the Hindu Mahasabha, eventually aligning with BJP. This partnership continued with Yogi Adityanath, solidifying Gorakshpeeth’s stronghold over the constituency.

In the last two Lok Sabha elections, BJP swept all nine seats in the Gorakhpur and Basti divisions, a testament to the influence of Nath Peeth. Following Yogi Adityanath’s appointment as Chief Minister in 2017, Ravi Kishan has served as MP since 2019, emphasizing his allegiance to Gorakshpeeth and Yogi’s guidance.

Conversely, the alliance’s strategy appears entangled in the temple's influence. Despite SP candidate Praveen Nishad's 2018 by-election win, BJP reclaimed the seat in the 2019 general elections. The SP's current candidate, Kajal Nishad, continues to face an uphill battle in this Nath Peeth-dominated region.

Despite SP’s efforts to mobilise the Nishad community, their candidates have historically underperformed in general elections. Ravi Kishan’s decisive win over SP’s Rambhual Nishad last time has prompted SP to field Kajal Nishad, yet the Nishad Party remains aligned with BJP.

Ravi Kishan reiterates his campaign’s core message: the Gorakhpur seat remains a "temple seat." Both BJP and Ravi Kishan are acutely aware that Nath Peeth’s influence has historically outweighed caste considerations. Their strategy hinges on sustaining this faith-based loyalty to secure another term for Ravi Kishan.

The upcoming elections will test the resilience of Gorakshpeeth’s influence against the alliance's caste-based strategy. As political activities intensify, the entire nation watches closely, anticipating the outcome in this critical constituency.