Amethi: A month after defeating Congress President Rahul Gandhi in his pocket borough Amethi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday visited her constituency for thanksgiving in all the five assembly segments of the region. Irani was also accompanied by Goa CM Pramod Sawant as the leaders paid visit to Amethi's Barolia village to meet family members of BJP worker Surendra Singh, who was killed recently. Former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had adopted Barolia in 2015 as a Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh.

"We are saddened at the death of Singh. He was a devoted party worker and the party stands with his family," Sawant told reporters after meeting the family. Manohar Parrikar had adopted this village. If UP government wants, we will work on education, health, roads, water and other problems in this village in his (Parrikar's) memory," the Goa Chief Minister said.

The BJP leaders also met with the people at the villages of Amethi that were adopted by Parrikar. "I had come to work in Amethi in 2014 too as a worker, I had worked with Surendra Singh (former village head of Barauli, who was shot dead last month) for 20-22 days, I knew him very well," Sawant said. According to reports, besides thanksgiving, Irani is also expected to announce some key schemes aimed at ensuring basic amenities in the constituency. She is also likely to visit a cow shelter home in Musafirkhana.

Last month, Irani's close aid Singh was shot dead by some unidentified assailants at his residence in Amethi's Barolia village. Family members of the deceased had put the blame of Congress workers. Singh was referred to Lucknow in a serious condition and he succumbed to his injuries during treatment, a police officer said, adding two people have been detained in connection with the incident and further investigation was underway.

Irani managed to bag the Amethi seat, known as a Gandhi bastion, in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections by defeating Rahul Gandhi by a massive 55,120 votes. Irani managed to rake in 4,68,514 while Rahul Gandhi could only pick up 4,13,394 votes. Even before the final result of the Amethi was declared by the Election Commission on May 23, Congress President had conceded defeat from the at a press conference in New Delhi.