A day after Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party's Lok Sabha candidate from Amethi constituency Smriti Irani took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi and his brother-in-law Rober Vadra saying, “Jijaji ki nazar hain, saale sahab kya karenge?”, posters featuring Robert Vadra, the husband of Priyanka Gandhi, were spotted outside the Congress office in Gauriganj, Amethi. This development comes as the Lok Sabha election fervour intensifies in Amethi, with polling and nomination filing drawing closer.
“There was a time when people travelling in buses would leave their handkerchief to mark their seat so that no one sits on it,” Irani said at a gathering in Amethi, as reported by NDTV. Vadra had previously hinted at contesting the Amethi seat on behalf of the Congress party. However, the party has yet to announce any candidate for the constituency.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Smriti Irani contested against Rahul Gandhi for the Amethi seat. Despite being a stronghold of the Congress for 15 years, Irani emerged victorious, defeating Gandhi. Amethi is scheduled to vote in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 20.
Rahul Gandhi had been the Indian National Congress's candidate from Amethi in the past three elections. Prior to him, the seat was held by his parents, Sonia, and Rajiv Gandhi, as well as his uncle, Sanjay Gandhi.
Having already declared his candidature from the Wayanad constituency in Kerala, Rahul Gandhi stated earlier that he would follow the party's directives regarding contesting from Amethi in this election.
Meanwhile, Robert Vadra has dropped several hints about his potential candidacy from the Amethi seat. He asserted that the people of Amethi desire him to be their representative, saying, "they would ensure his victory by a substantial margin if he enters the electoral fray".