Lucknow: Amethi is again in the headlines with the question of lakhs. The question is whether we will see the contest of Rahul Gandhi vs Smriti Irani here again? This was the most eagerly watched contest in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. There are a few months left for the next general elections, so questions are bound to arise again in Amethi. This Diwali, there was speculation that sitting BJP MP Irani might again have to face a member of the Gandhi family. And what gave rise to this speculation was the Diwali gift to the people of Amethi. Neither Rahul nor his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is active in Amethi after Rahul Gandhi lost to Smriti Irani in 2019. But just before this Diwali, gift bags containing photographs of both the Congress leaders were distributed to party supporters. The gift bag contained unstitched clothes, puja material, sweets and lamps for Diwali. According to a Congress leader in Amethi, 5,000 such gift bags were distributed by the Gandhi siblings in the district. Smriti Irani also distributed gifts to the people of her parliamentary constituency. Local BJP leaders said that gifts were distributed to about 1 lakh houses on Smriti Irani’s behalf. These gifts included sarees, sweets for some, and food pulao and mobile phones for others. The gifts were given in bags with pictures of Smriti Irani.
Smriti Irani delivered gifts to 1 lakh families, distributed 300 smartphones
BJP leaders said that about 300 smartphones have also been distributed by Smriti Irani to the youth, especially to the people associated with the party’s social media team in the district. According to the report of Indian Express, BJP leader in Amethi Chandramouli says that “Smriti ji distributes gifts to the people of Amethi every year. This is not a new thing. This year, we have reached out to 1 lakh families with sarees, sweets and other gifts,” the BJP leader said, adding, “However, for the Congress, this (distribution of gifts) is only a reaction to our action and nothing else.” Rejecting the allegation, former Congress MLC Deepak Singh said, ‘Rahul and Priyanka remember the people of Amethi in every festival and send them gifts on every festival. This time, it has been highlighted because of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He said, “It is Smriti Irani and her team, which has suddenly become active after four and a half years.”
No official confirmation of Rahul contesting elections from Amethi again
Although there has been no official confirmation of Rahul Gandhi contesting from Amethi again, newly appointed state Congress President Ajay Rai as well as other leaders have repeatedly talked about Rahul contesting from the constituency which was once the seat of the Gandhi family. Former MLC Singh said, “Rahul Gandhi’s five-year exile is ending in 2024 and this time the people of Amethi are preparing to bring Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi back to Amethi for the real development of the area. “