In Amethi, located in Uttar Pradesh, the absence of the Gandhi family from the electoral battle is seen as a tacit admission of defeat by the Congress even before the ballots are cast.

Smriti Irani, a prominent figure in the BJP and the current Member of Parliament from Amethi, emerged victorious over Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Irani’s triumph, with a substantial margin of over 55,000 votes, earned her the epithet of a “giant killer.” Historically, Amethi was considered a stronghold of the Congress, particularly prior to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing reporters in the region, Irani stated, “The absence of the Gandhi family from the electoral contest in Amethi is a clear indication of the Congress party conceding defeat even before the commencement of polling.”

Irani’s comments were prompted by the nomination filing of K L Sharma, a staunch supporter of the Congress, from the same constituency. “If the Congress harbored any hopes of victory here, they would have contested directly rather than fielding a proxy candidate,” remarked the BJP leader, alluding to the Gandhi family.

Expressing confidence in her electoral prospects, Irani affirmed her determination to secure victory once again when the constituency goes to the polls on May 20th. Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, who filed his nomination from Rae Bareli, Irani remarked, “One who was rejected by Amethi and sought refuge in Wayanad will never truly belong to Rae Bareli.”

She further questioned, “Having claimed Wayanad as his familial territory, what claim does he make for Rae Bareli today?” Rahul Gandhi has previously served as the Member of Parliament from Amethi for three terms.

In response to inquiries, Irani pointed out that the people of Amethi, having witnessed developmental strides under the leadership of Narendra Modi, are now questioning why similar progress eluded them over the past five decades. “They are pondering the detrimental impact the Gandhi family had on the region,” she remarked.

“The Prime Minister had foreseen that following the Wayanad elections, Rahulji would seek a new constituency, and today’s events validate that prediction,” Irani added.

Rahul Gandhi presently represents Wayanad in Kerala and has opted to contest from the same constituency in the current election cycle.