Caste, not corruption, the big factor for UP

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It’s caste, not corruption, that dominates Uttar Pradesh, where voters appear to have shunned the sermons of self-styled Gandhian Anna Hazare.

“Thank you, Anna Hazare, for making us aware about corruption. But what to do? All are corrupt. We will vote for our biradari (caste).” This is the message being sent by voters across the state, where the first phase of voting will be held Wednesday.

Said Ram Kripal Verma of Khudiyapur village in Faizabad district: “Anna? Haan, suna hai unke baare mein... Lekin chunao par koi asar nahi hai, chunao jaat par ho raha hai (Anna? Yes, we’ve heard of him. But he has no impact on the polls, which are being fought on caste equations).”

Team Anna’s efforts to project Hazare as a messiah of the downtrodden has also taken a beating.

Said Osa Devi at a nearby village: “ Sab bhrasht hain. Ki karhin vote to jaat par hi padhin (All are corrupt... What to do? Votes will be cast on caste lines).”

In Barabanki, Brijesh Kumar Singh claims there are 'no takers' for the Anna-style battle against corruption. For some, like Ram Bahadur Singh of Gonda, Nitish Kumar appears a better role model.