In his poem “Grandfather,” the Oriya poet Jayanta Mahapatra describes how hunger pangs made his Hindu grandfather Chintamani choose the “indignity” of conversion over the “dignity” of dying as a faithful Hindu.

The imperishable that swung your broken body,
turned it inside out? What did faith matter?
What Hindu world so ancient and true for you to hold?
Uneasily you dreamed toward the centre of your web.

Faced with the famine of 1886, Chintamani had converted to Christianity – because this faith gave him bread. In 2017, the question in famine and drought-stricken Bundelkhand is if the memory of hunger will change people’s political beliefs.

Traditionally, the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh (UP) has been Mayawati’s stronghold. During Mayawati’s last stint as chief minister of UP, between 2007 and 2012, it was believed that half of the government was controlled by Bundelkhand because some of her most trusted leaders, like Babu Singh Kushwaha and Naseemuddin, belonged from the region.

Naseni village, which comes under Bundelkhand’s Naraini constituency, is a good example of what makes Bahujan Samaj Party popular here. While Muslims make up the largest voter base, Dalits, Yadavs and Brahmins comprise the second biggest chunk. BSP has been winning Naraini since 1996.This year, however, the wind seems to be shifting.

Bundelkhand, with its 19 constituencies is not a critically important part of UP, as far as elections are concerned. That said, National President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Amit Shah was in Mahoba, in Bundelkhand, today, promising the region development if it votes for BJP. As things stand, domination by the Yadav community is seen as an obstacle to actual progress in the area.

For instance, in Mahoba district’s Bara village, 42-year-old Ram Phal, a farmer, said, “Because of the Dial 108, ambulance facility has improved accessibility of medical facilities for pregnant women, but preference is being given to the governing Yadav community.” This was corroborated by farmer Pankaj Singh Parihar who is from the same district and also an RTI activist.

Further damaging SP are allegations of corruption. Public welfare schemes, such as the construction of toilets by village pradhans, see better implementation if the pradhan is supported by SP. Even then, however, the numbers can be deceiving. In Jhansi district’s Mailoni village, approximately 200 toilets were constructed between 2014 and 2015 under a scheme launched by the state government. Ramesh Kushwaha, then the village pradhan and a local SP leader, allegedly got these toilets constructed, but ‘forgot’ to have septic tanks dug for them. As a result, Mailoni has an elaborate exhibition of ceramic showpieces instead of actual toilets.

Local journalist KK Saini told Newslaundry that pradhans across several villages of Mahoba and Lalitpur district had toilets made because they got to pocket some of the money allotted for the construction by the state government. Saini also alleged SP’s local leaders are involved in illegal activities. “In Mahoba district and specifically in Kabrai Tehsil, no one besides the minor local SP leaders can imagine entering the illegal sand mining business,” he said.

Yet, Akhilesh Yadav is a popular leader in Bundelkhand, primarily because of the relief work his administration has done.“Musalmaan hain, jiska namak khae hain uska nibhaenge (We are Muslims. We’ll show gratitude to those who have helped us),” said 33-year-old Majjo of Naseni.

Since 2013, Bundelkhand has suffered a series of droughts. “Akhilesh ne sukhe mein madad ki, janata ka khayal rakha, free galla diya (Akhilesh [Yadav] helped us during the droughts, distributed free relief food kits),” said Majjo.

In 2016, after reports of droughts and the hardship of farmers in the seven districts of Bundelkhand made news, UP’s Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav distributed free relief food kits (or gallas) to at least 2.30 lakh Antodaya cardholders in the region. They contained 10 kilograms (kgs) wheat, 5 kg rice, 5 kg pulses, salt, sugar and one kilogram of ghee. How much help these kits actually were is a matter of debate, but the fact that Yadav tried to help the Bundeli farmers seems to have made a significant number of voters lean towards Samajwadi Party (SP). As 35-year-old Abdul Zabaar at the chaukhat of his house in Naseni told Newslaundry, “Ab Akhilesh ka vote jyada hai. Bahut mushkil se BSP aur SP ke 50-50 ka mamla banega (The majority will vote for Akhilesh. It’ll be tough to even make it an even fight between BSP and SP).”

At the moment, the mustard fields in these villages are a lustrous green. Whatever was sown in winter is promising a good yield so far, but Bundeli farmers are cautious. They’re still worried if their harvest will be enough to recover the investments made in both Kharif and Rabi this season. Naseni’s Ram Prasad Yadav, 58, said the state offers agrarian subsidies. “I still have to pay loans which I took for paddy,” he said. “But it would have been impossible for me and many other farmers to even buy seeds and fertilisers without the subsidy provided.”

In another part of Bundelkhand, 60-year-old Udal Singh Parmar of Lalitpur district’s Lalwadi said, “Log bhookon mar rahe the uss waqt Akhilesh Yadav ne galle diye (Akhilesh Yadav reached out with food when people were dying of hunger).” His son Narendra Singh is a gram Pradhan who was supported by both Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and SP during the last panchayat election.

However, the Sehariya community – who were reportedly surviving on ghas ki roti – aren’t very happy with Yadav. “We were promised that free kits will be distributed for at least four months, but it stopped after three,” said Param Sehariya. The Sehariyas constitute over 150 votes in Lalwadi. Parmar said the benefit of free kits were availed by over 100 Antodaya card holders in Lalwadi and 250 Laal cards (ration cards meant for those below the poverty line) provided ration at much subsidised rates.

The SP government also allocated a special grant of Rs 200 crore to tackle the water crisis and Rs 40 crore to install new hand pumps. Also, the Khet talab scheme was introduced and approximately 2,000 farmers in seven districts were encouraged to dig ponds in their farms. In exchange, they would receive compensation from the government. The ponds have already started drying up although summer is many months away, but the scheme is seen as a welcome move. Several villages were also provided two Samajwadi water tankers (a move probably in a response to the Centre’s water train).

A khet-taalab in Banda district’s Mataundh nagar panchayat.

The recent Yadav family drama has also played a part in raising the CM’s Part profile among the Bundeli, especially since Yadav didn’t let it stand in the way of rolling out UP 100, which is a new police patrolling scheme according to which the police vans are connected to a call centre. These vans can be seen even in the interiors of Bundelkhand. “Now people are afraid and criminals or drunkards are deterred from creating a nuisance around the villages,” said 33-year-old school teacher Ajay Yadav from Rupa Dhamna village. Primarily dominated by the Yadav community, this village comes under Mauranipur constituency. It’s a triangular fight here between sitting legislator from SP, Rashmi Arya, and BSP and BJP’s candidates.

There’s appreciation for Yadav even in Rupa Dhamna’s Dalit mohalla. Forty four-year-old Mahesh Prasad, a labourer, said he appreciated the work done by both the SP government and legislator Arya. His vote would still go to BSP, he said, but for a reason worth noting. “Hum vote Mayawati ko hi denge. Agar hum SP ko vote kar bhi denge, to Yadav manenge nahi (We will vote for Mayawati. Even if we vote for the SP, Yadavs won’t trust us),” said Prasad. “Fir apna vote kyun kharab karna (Then why should we waste our vote)?”

The author can be contacted on Twitter @amit_bhardwaz