Union Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi and his brother-in-law Robert Vadra over the Congress party’s failure to announce a Lok Sabha candidate for Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi seat yet. Irani claimed she ensured more work in the constituency in five years than Mr Gandhi did in 15.
Smriti Irani emerged victorious from Amethi, a Congress stronghold, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP leader’s remarks came amid speculations over Rahul Gandhi’s brother-in-law, Robert Vadra’s possible debut in electoral politics from the Amethi Parliamentary seat.
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“Jijaji ki nazar hai, saale sahab kya karenge. (brother-in-law is eyeing the seat, what will he (Mr Gandhi) do?) There was a time when people travelling in buses would leave their handkerchief to mark their seat so that no one sits on it. Rahul Gandhi will also come to mark his seat with a handkerchief because his brother-in-law is eyeing this seat,” Irani was quoted by NDTV as saying while addressing a gathering in Amethi.
“Has this ever happened? Just 27 days left for the election, but Congress has not announced its candidate. Such arrogance. What I could do in five years, Rahul Gandhi could not do in 15,” the Union Minister added.
Amethi goes to polls in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha election 2024 on May 5.
Before his defeat at the hands of Smriti Irani in 2019, Rahul Gandhi represented Amethi in the Lok Sabha three times in a row. The seat has also been represented by his parents Sonia Gandhi and the late Rajiv Gandhi, and his uncle, the late Sanjay Gandhi.
BJP has won the seat only thrice including Irani’s 2019 win in the history of Lok Sabha elections in Amethi.
Earlier this month, Robert Vadra, the husband of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, said the people of Amethi are not happy with sitting MP Irani, as she is busy bashing the Gandhi family.
“The people of Amethi expect me to represent their constituency if I decide to become a member of Parliament…For years, the Gandhi family worked hard in Rae Bareli, Amethi and Sultanpur…The people of Amethi are really troubled by the current Member of Parliament, they think they have made a mistake by electing her…,” he told ANI.
Rahul Gandhi, who is contesting Lok Sabha polls from Kerala’s Wayanad, was recently asked if he would be Congress’s candidate in Amethi too.
“I will do whatever the party orders me,” he replied.
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