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Rahul Gandhi aims to crush Smriti challenge in family bastion
Polling was held in Amethi, in the fifth phase of the ongoing national polls on Monday, and saw a turnout of 53.48% according to the Election Commission of India Voter Turnout app.
Polling was held in Amethi, in the fifth phase of the ongoing national polls on Monday, and saw a turnout of 53.48% according to the Election Commission of India Voter Turnout app. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is seeking re-election for a fourth consecutive time in Amethi, went up against his 2014 opponent Union minister Smriti Irani of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which are contesting the polls in an alliance in the state, did not field any candidates here.
“Writing on the wall is clear...I am confidant of winning,” Irani said in Amethi on Monday.
During the day, she had accused the Congress president of “booth capturing”, tagging the Election Commission of India’s official handle on social media platform Twitter. However, the Chief Electoral Officer L Venkateshwarlu said that the charge was “examined thoroughly and found baseless”. Irani, who has been visiting Amethi since 2014, has targeted the Gandhi family for neglecting the constituency.
Congress general secretary (eastern UP), Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, incharge of the campaign in Amethi, referred often to her father and former prime minister, the late Rajiv Gandhi, and his vision of development for Amethi and the rest of India.
“She (Smriti Irani) has come only 16 times to Amethi. Every time she comes here, she stays only for four hours. Your MP has visited you twice as many times. The people of Amethi have understood the BJP’s designs.... My brother will win with a higher margin,” Priyanka Gandhi said, while campaigning on May 4.
“The people have heard both (Rahul Gandhi and Smriti Irani) on the matter of Amethi’s development. Now, people have taken the decision,” said political analyst Professor SK Dwivedi.
