Dressed in white sporting gear, the lanky young man smashes the ball for four huge sixes, before waving goodbye to an energized group of students at the lush grounds of the Allahabad University.
His next stop is a medical workshop in the heart of the city where he interacts with former servicemen. Without wasting time, he then leaves for the old city to attend the funeral of four young Muslim boys who drowned in the Ganga on Saturday evening. The boys were bathing at the river after a game of cricket.
The election campaign has caught pace for Mohammad Kaif, the man entrusted by the Congress to regain the prestigious Phulpur seat after a gap of 30 years.
“It's hectic. But it's just the beginning,” says Mr. Kaif.
Despite being a Allahabadi boy who shot into fame after representing India in International Cricket, Kaif admits his first task is basic: to “connect” with the people of Allahabad.
“Everyone talks of big issues. I want to work on small changes; garbage cleaning mechanism of the city, job creation and upliftment of youth, for example,” he says.
Mr. Kaif also hopes to create “inspiration” among the youth from his own experiences.
“I left my life of luxury and job to fight for this change. After travelling across the constituency, I realized little do the youth know how to capitalize on their talent and build it towards a career. I have passed through that route, so I understand the problems of the youth very well,” he said.
Congress leaders reveal that Mr. Kaif's candidature was also considered keeping in view his Ansari background as the community is well represented in Phulpur. Mr. Kaif's close aides say they are careful that during campaigning his Muslim identity does not overshadow his image of a cricketer.
Personally too, Mr. Kaif underplays his Muslim identity. "I am an Indian. I do not consider myself a Muslim face of the Congress. I appeal to all masses and the happiness I saw on people's faces when I landed in the city was inexplicable," says Mr. Kaif, who is looking to pull in other Indian cricketers to support his campaign.
While Mr. Kaif tries his best to play 'politician,' there is some discontentment among the local Congress leaders and cadre who feel that a 'non-political outsider' was gifted the ticket without considering the factors on the ground.
Mr. Kaif's campaign has also failed to attract much support from the highly-politicized student's body of Allahabad University.
But Mr. Kaif tries to play the cool. "Difference are natural, it's the people's support that matters in the end. My innings has just begun."
Mr. Kaif faces the daunting task of battling caste-based equations in Phulpur, the seat that gave India it’s first Prime Minister, and is currently held by Bahujan Samaj Party MP Kapil Muni Karwariya. The Samajwadi Party will be represented by Dharamraj Patel, a Kurmi strongman who was MP from the seat in 1999 but lost on a Congress ticket in 2009.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is yet to announce its candidate but sources say that the party is close to an understanding with Apna Dal party leader and daughter of Kurmi leader Sone Lal Patel, Anupriya Patel (Rohaniya, Varanasi MLA) who could contest with the support of the saffron party. The Kurmis are a major vote bank in the Allahabad and Varanasi divisions.
