Congress watchful as BJP zeroes in on Amethi and Rae Bareli
Union minister Smriti Irani of the BJP had wrested the Amethi seat from senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in 2019 and the party is now eyeing Rae Bareli.
The Congress appears to be adopting a wait-and- watch strategy in Rae Bareli and Amethi even as the BJP has stepped up its activities in these two constituencies ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Union minister Smriti Irani of the BJP had wrested the Amethi seat from senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in 2019 and the party is now eyeing Rae Bareli.
Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who was tasked with strengthening the BJP in Rae Bareli and wrest the seat from the Congress, visited the constituency on June 13 and 14 this year.
He declared that the BJP would win the Rae Bareli seat, too, in 2024. Tomar had targeted the Congress during his visit to the constituency in September 2022 as well.
“Yes, the Union agriculture minister visited Rae Bareli last month. But he did not address the issues concerning the farmers here and instead held meetings with senior officers. The people of Rae Bareli have faith in the Congress and Sonia Gandhi. The Congress will surely win the seat even if the party leaders decide not to campaign in the constituency,” said Rae Bareli District Congress Committee (DCC) president Pankaj Tiwari.
“We observed a fast to protest the violence in Manipur and propose to hold a candle march on Saturday evening. We are getting a good response from the people,” Tiwari added.
Rahul Gandhi has already filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the Gujarat high court’s order rejecting his plea for a stay on his conviction and a two-year jail term in a criminal defamation case and the same may come up for hearing on August 4.
When asked whether Rahul Gandhi will contest from Amethi in 2024 if he gets relief from the top court, Amethi District Congress Committee (DCC) president Pradeep Singhal said, “Why not? Rahul Gandhi will surely contest the Lok Sabha election from Amethi. The people of the constituency are with us.”
There has also been a demand among party workers that Congress general secretary (incharge UP) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra should opt for Amethi if Rahul Gandhi fails to get relief from the top court or decides to contest from Wayanad again.
Priyanka has remained active in Rae Bareli and Amethi for nearly two decades and has built up the party organisation there.
“Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may get a new responsibility in the reshuffle of AICC expected soon. Rahul Gandhi’s appeal against the Gujarat high court order may come up for hearing on August 4. We are going to wait and watch and work out our future course of action accordingly in the coming months,” said a senior party functionary.
On the other hand, Uttar Pradesh BJP spokesperson Avnish Tyagi said, “The BJP aims to win all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh.”
“We will win both Amethi and Rae Bareli in 2024 and make Uttar Pradesh free from the Congress,” Tyagi said.
“Rae Bareli and Amethi are traditional seats of the Congress. The Congress, however, suffered a setback in Amethi in 2019. If the Congress wants to retain these seats, the party should focus on development in the two constituencies,” said Professor SK Dwivedi, former head of department political science, Lucknow University.
