Amethi is poised for a political clash on Monday, as both Congress luminary Rahul Gandhi and Union minister Smriti Irani are slated to descend upon this esteemed Lok Sabha constituency concurrently. Speculation abounds that they are gearing up for another tête-à-tête in the upcoming parliamentary polls scheduled for April-May.
Irani successfully seized the Amethi Lok Sabha seat from Congress in 2019, triumphing over Rahul Gandhi amidst the surge of the Modi wave.
While Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, is set to grace Amethi as part of his ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Irani plans to embark on a four-day sojourn to her constituency as part of her Jan Samvad Vikas Yatra.
This marks the first occasion since the 2022 U.P. assembly polls when both leaders campaigned on the same day but at disparate locations for their respective party candidates in Amethi, a Lok Sabha constituency that has only slipped from Congress’s grasp thrice thus far.
“Amethi and Rae Bareli are not just constituencies; they are the abode of our party leadership, and undoubtedly, a member of the (Gandhi) family will contend,” asserted UP Congress chief Ajay Rai. He also suggested that the BJP’s decision to schedule Smriti’s program on the same day in Amethi indicates a “growing restiveness in the BJP camp.”
On Monday, Rahul is anticipated to enter Amethi from Pratapgarh as part of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, orchestrating a roadshow and a public meeting in a region that consecutively elected him for three terms before his 2019 defeat during the Modi wave. Simultaneously, Smriti will recommence her Amethi Jan Samvad Vikas Yatra, traversing all five assembly constituencies that constitute her Lok Sabha.
Following an overnight stay, presumably near Fursatganj, Rahul and his entourage will proceed to Rae Bareli, the sole Lok Sabha seat in U.P. secured by Congress in 2019. The speculations about Rahul’s sister, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, vying for the seat are gaining traction, especially after Sonia Gandhi’s shift to the Rajya Sabha and her assertion that the Gandhis will maintain their association with the region.
The BJP orchestrated a visit to Ayodhya for approximately 4000 individuals on Saturday, with more visits being arranged for people to witness the newly inaugurated Ayodhya temple. Additionally, Smriti is scheduled to host a housewarming event for her recently constructed residence in Amethi on February 22.
Her 2019 LS campaign primarily centered around the notion that while Rahul had been a largely elusive MP, she promised to be among the masses if victorious. Through the housewarming event, Irani is expected to subtly convey to the public that she has fulfilled all her promises from the 2019 Lok Sabha campaign. As their “didi,” she seeks another opportunity to serve the people, countering the term “bhaiya” previously used to refer to Rahul Gandhi in the region up until 2014.
“We are not mere sightseers. We have upheld our commitments, and after the housewarming, you shall witness didi residing here,” affirmed Vijay Gupta, Smriti Irani’s Lok Sabha representative in Amethi.