UP Migrants in Mumbai Keep an Eye on Assembly Polls

Mumbai: "You can't say anything this time. Aren't you watching videos where MLAs are being shown doors in village after village? All that we know is people are restless," said Radheshyam Mourya, a small-time cement and bricks vendor from Dombivali West. Radheshyam hails from Sidhauli block of Sitapur district in Uttar Pradesh, but has been in Dombivali for the last 15 years.

Radheshyam started as a driver on a tempo, which carried bricks and slowly grew to become a vendor, who sells cement and bricks for smaller construction projects, especially in chawls of Dombivali West.

When asked about whether he is following elections in UP, he said with a smile, "Tell me who doesn't follow elections in this state? the only thing is that we are poor people and don't have much time to discuss it." Radheshyam now votes in Dombivali, but he is up to date about the fiery contest happening in his home state. 

Like Radheshyam, a large number of people from Uttar Pradesh, who have migrated to Mumbai, are following the Assembly election in UP.

Twenty-four years old Aroon Mourya, who hails from a village close to Radheshyam's village, said that people from UP migrate to Mumbai as there is no work back home. "So what do we do? We move to various places to survive," said Aroon, who came to Dombivali six months back.

When asked whether jobs is a major issue this election, he said, "You can say that because many of my friends and relatives have no work other than agriculture. We don't have much land. So, mainly some kind of work like driving, helper etc. is what we need."

But not everyone has the same opinion.

Neeraj Pandey, 34, who repairs mobile phones at a shop in Thane's Ghantali area, said, "No government can give jobs to all. Did Congress give jobs to everyone? Wasn't there unemployment? I believe that the population in India is a big problem."

When asked how he saw Yogi government's work, he said, "There is improvement in law and order. Earlier goons used to rule, now everyone is either in jail or...  (he does the action of shooting a gun)." When asked where he got the information about law and order and population, he showed a number of WhatsApp groups in which he is a member.

"I keep getting daily updates of even Ram Mandir construction," Neeraj said proudly. 

Shakeer, a barber in Dindoshi, who was watching an interview of OP Rajbhar on YouTube in the salon, said, "There is mahaul for SP alliance. Watch all the rallies. BJP's rallies have no response, whereas Akhilesh's rallies are getting bigger."

Shakeer, who is from Baghpat district of Western UP, said confidently that UP will see change this time.

When asked there is a Hindu-Muslim polarisation, he said, "No, not at all. BJP is trying to do that, but there is no response. In my village, during the last three elections, Hindus and Muslims weren't even talking with each other on the polling day. But this time, the situation was different."

The key point of discussion with the migrants was how significant role religion or caste will play in this election. They had different opinions and issues ranging from Ram Mandir to Hijab controversy and Article 370 to renovation of Kashi Vishwanath temple came up during these discussions. Strong supporters of Hindutva believe that people are voting for faith this time.

"For the first time, UP is seeing a proud Hindu government which is not shy to say it is Hindu government," said Chandan Mishra, who works as a marketing representative for a company selling toothpaste.

Chandan hails from Deoria of Eastern UP and has been in Mumbai for almost 10 years now.

When asked whether people are happy with the Yogi government's work during the pandemic, he said, "People are not happy. But they are also not complaining about it. During the last wave, the situation in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad or Bangalore were equally bad. So, it was not just UP-centric."

Chandan believes that more than farm laws or COVID-19, it is the inflation that concerns people at large. "Inflation is high. It is a real issue. But nobody votes just over one issue. Also, under the Yogi government, there is free ration, security and other developments," he added. 

Ramprasad Singh, a vegetable vendor in Dadar's vegetable market, who came to Mumbai 20 years back, said, "I came here when I was 20 years old. I got married here and had children also. Now I don't think about going back to do farming. But I sincerely think that any party comes to power in UP should provide employment to its youth". "For how many years will our youths go to other states to live in conditions like this?" he asked.

When asked which party will be able to give jobs to the youth, he said, "See, UP has tried all parties, at least all major parties. Has anyone done this? No. Have young people stopped leaving villages? No."