Modi's Varanasi LS poll rival among marchers on Raisina Hill

A man who bagged 312 votes in Varanasi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha polls today grabbed eyeballs during the march led by opposition parties up Raisina Hill in protest against the government's land Bill.
Wearing a banner inscribed with messages against the contentious Bill, 44-year-old Shiv Kumar Shah strutted around with aplomb among the melee for media bytes. He had entered the Lok Sabha poll fray as an Independent candidate in Varanasi against the likes of Modi and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal.
Standing in front of South Block, Shah, a graduate in Chinese Studies from the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University, said it was the "people of India" from whom he draws inspiration.

He said that in line with the government's initiative under which each MP has to adopt a village, he had "adopted" Chandapur village in Varanasi "which is the neighbouring village of the PM's adopted village, Jaipur".
"I have adopted Chandapur village and have planned to donate 312 bicycles to select residents as a start by gathering donations," he said.
Terming the politics of identity and caste "dispiriting", he said people should be treated as "individuals".
"There has been enough of pseudo corporate social responsibility. It's time we gave a shot to Individual Social Responsibility," Shah stressed.