Lok Sabha polls 2014: SP's Varanasi candidate Chaurasia quits ministry, dares Modi to do same

VARANASI: Samajwadi Party minister Kailash Chaurasia, pitted against Narendra Modi in Varanasi, sent his resignation to chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday and challenged BJP's prime ministerial candidate to "show courage" and "resign as Gujarat CM" to contest against him as an ordinary "janata ka sevak (people's servant)".

The SP candidate, however, added he will continue as MLA from Mirzapur because "over 2.50 lakh people elected him" to represent them in the assembly.

It's widely believed that after AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's joining the Varanasi race, Chaurasia is trying to play to the gallery. He also advised Modi to contest from one seat and spare Vadodara for others if he really expects to win from Varanasi. Chaurasia's moves are also being viewed as an attempt to divert attention from AAP campaign. Meanwhile, the CM is yet to take a decision on Chaurasia's resignation.

Being a Chaurasia, a caste traditionally associated with the betel or 'paan' trade, he is increasingly using the 'paanwala' card to make light of the much talked about 'chaiwala' image of Modi. The minister of state for basic education and child development wrote in his resignation letter, "I am resigning to bring seriousness to this contest, so please consider my resignation as UP minister till the end of poll process."