As speculation swirls around Rahul Gandhi’s possible candidacy in the Amethi Lok Sabha polls, videos of renovations at his Amethi residence spark excitement among UP Congress members. Despite no official confirmation, workers are optimistic about his return to the traditional party stronghold lost to Smriti Irani in 2019. Gandhi’s silence on inquiries adds to the anticipation.
Last week, Rahul Gandhi, alongside Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, replied to the question but in an ambiguous manner. He said, “Such decisions are taken by the central election committee in our party, and I shall abide by it.” This response was received positively by the party cadre in Amethi..
However, Congress leadership says this is a normal routine before any top leader visits the constituency. Ex-MLC Deepak Singh said, as quoted by Asianet News “This is routine. Whether or not he contests elections from here, he is sure to visit Amethi during the campaign time.”
Workers hired by the party are preparing for the upcoming elections. One mentioned that Rahul Bhaiya’s arrival is expected soon, prompting cleaning and renovation activities. Congress sources suggest candidate announcements for prominent seats after polling in Wayanad on April 26. Amethi’s polling in the fifth phase on May 20 is awaited for further developments.
Smriti Irani, the incumbent BJP MP for Amethi, took a dig at Rahul Gandhi and his brother-in-law Robert Vadra, asserting that she had facilitated more development in the constituency over five years than Gandhi had in 15.
Meanwhile, firing a salvo at Union Minister Smriti Irani, Congress national spokesperson Abhay Dubey claimed on Thursday that she would lose the constituency that was regarded as a stronghold of the grand old party before she snapped their winning run there.
Hitting back at the BJP’s barbs over the Congress’s delay in naming their pick from Amethi, amid continuing rumours that Rahul might enter the fray from the erstwhile Congress stronghold as well, Dubey said even a Congress worker will win against her if given a ticket to contest Amethi.
(With inputs from Asianet and agencies)
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Published: 23 Apr 2024, 07:58 PM IST
