Lok Sabha Elections 2019: BJP chief Amit Shah slams Rahul Gandhi for choosing Wayanad along with Amethi to contest polls

Issuing it first response, BJP mocked the Gandhi scion for choosing a second seat. MoS Civil Aviation and Culture & Tourism, Mahesh Sharma suggested that this massive development will make it easy for Amethi voters to now chose Smriti Irani, the BJP candidate from the constituency.

BJP chief Amit Shah said Gandhi is scared of his impending defeat in Amethi and that is why he is now headed for Wayanad.

Lok Sabha Elections 2019: In a major decision, the Congress on Sunday announced that party President Rahul Gandhi will contest the Lok Sabha polls from Wayanad in Kerala, apart from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. However, slamming the Congress president, BJP chief Amit Shah said Rahul Gandhi "fled" to Kerala as he fears that Amethi voters will seek account from him. "Gandhi is scared of his impending defeat in Amethi and that is why he is now headed for Wayanad... No matter where Rahul Gandhi may go to, he cannot escape people. He will remain answerable to them," Shah said.

कांग्रेस की वोटबैंक की राजनीति ने देश की सुरक्षा के साथ खिलवाड़ करने का काम किया। इसी का नतीजा है कि राहुल गांधी अमेठी छोड़कर केरल की ओर भागे हैं, क्योंकि उन्हें पता है कि इस बार अमेठी में उनका हिसाब-किताब होना तय है: श्री अमित शाह

— BJP (@BJP4India) March 31, 2019

Further mocking Gandhi for choosing a second seat, MoS Civil Aviation and Culture & Tourism, Mahesh Sharma suggested that this massive development will make it easy for Amethi voters to now chose Smriti Irani, the BJP candidate from the constituency. "It is good. This has made it easier for the Amethi people to choose. The voters will not choose 'naamdaar' (dynasts), but will choose 'kaamdaar'. Amethi will now prove that only 'politics of performance' will work in India," read the Twitter message of the BJP leader. Also Watch- Former Union minister and the BJP’s Mahila Morcha in-charge D Purandeshwari was quoted by India Today as saying, "Is he not sure of his victory in the seat he was only representing? PM Modi always contested in two. Here, we have Rahul Gandhi who didn’t contest in two, but is doing so now." While BJP leader Maneka Gandhi was quoted by India Today as saying it was Rahul Gandhi's right to choose more than one seat to contest the Lok Sabha elections from. "What can I say? It is his [Rahul Gandhi] right to do what he wants," Maneka Gandhi said. "I do not know what is going on in his heart but I can say that we are going to win from both Wayanad and Amethi," Maneka was quoted as saying. Also Watch- Earlier in the day, veteran Congress leader from Kerala and former Defence Minister A K Antony made this announcement at a press conference, saying Gandhi had consented to fight from Wayanad following requests from the state unit. "Rahul Gandhi will contest from Wayanad parliamentary constituency from Kerala," Antony said. The decision is seen as an attempt by the Congress to consolidate its electoral base in South India, especially Kerala which has 20 Lok Sabha seats. "This is a message to the southern states that they are deeply valued and respected. Congress President Rahul Gandhi has said that he will represent Amethi but will also represent southern states as they are an important part of India's way of life," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.