NEW DELHI: Union minister and BJP’s candidate from Amethi
Smriti Irani
said that the Congress has conceded defeat from the constituency before a single vote was cast following the announcement of
Rahul Gandhi
as the Congress candidate for the
Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat
. Irani suggested that the opposition party would not have fielded a “proxy candidate” like
Kishori Lal Sharma
if they were optimistic about the poll outcome.
Speaking to reporters in Amethi, Irani said, “I welcome the guests to Amethi. The fact that the Gandhis are not fighting in Amethi shows that even before a vote has been cast, they are losing from Amethi. If they had seen even a glimmer of hope, they would have contested and not put up a proxy candidate,”
Irani characterized Rahul Gandhi’s candidature from Rae Bareli as a “victory” for the people in Amethi. She emphasized the progress achieved in Amethi over the past five years, particularly during the challenging period of the Covid-19 pandemic and assured the people of Amethi that the Modi government would continue to prioritize development in the region.
“I want to assure the people of Amethi that the Modi government will return, and we will continue to work for people here, with development being the centre of our focus. Today before a vote has been cast, history has been made. I am grateful to the people of Amethi. Today is the victory of the people of Amethi,” Irani said.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier remarks about Rahul Gandhi seeking a new seat after the elections in Kerala, Irani suggested that the Congress leadership was moving away from the electoral battleground.
In the upcoming election, Rahul Gandhi will face BJP’s Dinesh Pratap Singh in Rae Bareli, while Smriti Irani is seeking reelection from Amethi. Rae Bareli was previously represented by Sonia Gandhi, who is now a member of the Rajya Sabha.
The Congress has also nominated Kishori Lal Sharma, a loyalist, from Amethi, the seat Rahul Gandhi lost to Smriti Irani in the 2019 general elections. KL Sharma filed his nomination from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat on Friday.
Rae Bareli has historically been a stronghold of the Congress party, with members of the Nehru-Gandhi family winning the seat in most elections since 1951. Indira Gandhi and her husband, Feroze Gandhi, have also been elected from Rae Bareli in the past.
Both Rae Bareli and Amethi will go to polls in the fifth phase on May 20. Rahul represented Amethi in the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2019.
(With agency inputs)
