Amid poll heat, Modi ministers take a ‘jalebi-kachauri’ break
If you are in Varanasi, kachauri and jalebi for breakfast is a must.
On Sunday, the delectable treat was also savoured by three union ministers and two national level BJP leaders.
Camping in the Prime Minister’s constituency to campaign for elections scheduled on March 8, the ministers relished the famous delicacies at Shri Ram Bhandar in Nadesar area.
“Amid hectic campaigning, it is a real treat to enjoy such crunchy Banarasi cachauri and crispy jalebis,” said law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who was accompanied with union health minister JP Nadda and union minister of state for finance Santosh Gangwar, BJP national general secretary Bhupendra Yadav and national spokesperson Srikant Sharma.
“They don’t just taste good, they look tempting as well,” said Prasad while insisting that the food is a part of the culture here.
“Eating them on the street, like a common man, is a heavenly experience,” he said as his cabinet and party colleagues nod in unison. “Such authentic food is a rarity in the national capital,” said another BJP leader even as a local informs them about temple city’s love for food.
“Banaras has more than 200 kachauri and jalebi shops. Of them, some are very famous. In fact, a lane in the city is known as Kachauri Gali. Some of these shops are more than 100 years old,” he says. “Our shop was established in 1870. And personalities as tall as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi have relished our food items,” boasts Saurabh Gupta, the shop owner.
“Only a few days back, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap was here,” he adds.
The BJP ministers have been camping here for about one week.
They are looking after the campaigning arrangements for last two phases, covering 78 assembly seats in Eastern UP.
In the sixth phase, polling will take place on 38 seats in five districts, including Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Deoria and Azamgarh.
Last and seventh phase that is scheduled on March 8 covers 40 assembly seats in seven districts, including Varanasi, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Sonbhadra, Chandauli, Mirzapur and Bhadohi.