Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Maneka Gandhi looks to retain son’s seat Sultanpur

Union minister Maneka Gandhi, swapped seats with son, Varun Gandhi, who won from here in 2014. This time around, Varun Gandhi will contest from Pilibhit.

As many as 56.46% voters turned out to vote as Sultanpur went to the polls along with 13 other Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.

BJP’s Sultanpur candidate Maneka Gandhi and Congress’ Sanjay Singh reportedly engaged in a verbal duel over allegations that the latter had pressured voters during polling in the constituency on May 12, 2019. (ANI File)

Union minister Maneka Gandhi, swapped seats with son, Varun Gandhi, who won from here in 2014. This time around, Varun Gandhi will contest from Pilibhit. Maneka Gandhi was up against Chandra Bhadra Singh of the SP- BSP alliance and Congress’s Sanjay Sinh.

On Sunday, Maneka Gandhi and Singh reportedly engaged in a verbal duel over allegations that the latter had pressured voters. A video of a confrontation between the two, reportedly at Isauli village (Baldirai block) surfaced on social media, in which Maneka Gandhi is heard saying ‘Yahan dabangai nahi chalegi’ (your intimidation won’t work here).

Singh reportedly dismissed her charges.

HT could not independently verify the veracity of the video.

Lack of basic amenities is one of the main issues in Sultanpur, which is a part of UP’s sugarcane belt, where the lone sugar mill remains closed. Farm distress, rising labour costs and stray cattle have added to the woes of the farmer.