In the Hindi belt of Uttar Pradesh, Gorakhpur provides an interesting fight as its a Bhojpuri film star versus a religious yogi.
Manoj Tewari is a Bhojpuri film star and host of reality TV shows who is now the Samajwadi Party candidate for Gorakhpur from Uttar Pradesh.
"He is from the film industry, please vote for him," said actor Sanjay Dutt.
Tewari is here to capitalise on the fan following he has in this part of Uttar Pradesh. And his rallies are more about local singing talent than political agenda.
"He's not a politician and that is the best thing about him," said a voter.
Tewari has a 37-year-old opponent, BJP's candidate for the constituency Yogi Adityanath who is contesting for a third term in Parliament. Gorakhpur has been a BJP bastion since 1989 and Adityanath who belongs to the Goraknath peeth commands a standing army of young unemployed men called the Hindu Yuva Vahini.
"Hindutva, jahan Hindutva hai vahi vikas hai, (Hidutva is the key to development)," said Adityanath.
The votes will be in on April 16 for Gorakhpur and the winner will earn a pampered life in Delhi but Gorakhpur will remain where it was in the development map, living with poverty and encephalitis.
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