New Delhi: Union Minister Smriti Irani and her husband Zubin Irani performed the rituals of the 'Griha Pravesh' ceremony at their residence in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. This ceremony comes just months ahead of the Lok Sabha election.
According to the Hindu customs, 'Griha Pravesh' is performed when someone moves to their new home. As per reports, Irani purchased a 15,000 square foot block of property in the Gauriganj neighborhood in February 2021. Later, she hosted a 'khichdi bhoj' at her new Amethi home in 2023. The 'Griha Pravesh' ceremony took place just a few days after the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' of Rahul Gandhi passed through Amethi.
Notably, Amethi is quite popular for the high-octane electoral battles. Formerly a bastion of Rahul, this seat was wrested by Smriti Irani in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Both leaders paid their visit to the constituency ahead of the Lok Sabha polls this year.
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According to ANI, Smriti Irani hailed the announcement made by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh that Rahul Gandhi will contest from Amethi this time. "I am happy that Jairam Ramesh has accepted my challenge and Rahul Gandhi is ready to contest elections from Amethi without Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati's support," Irani had said.
"Being an ordinary worker of BJP, I welcome this challenge. Since Jairam Ramesh has announced this, today all of us, Amethi workers will be waiting for Rahul Gandhi to announce this through CEC today," she added.
Earlier in the day, Jairam Ramesh said that residents of Amethi want Rahul Gandhi to contest from this Lok Sabha seat, although the ultimate decision rests with Gandhi himself and the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). "The people of Amethi want their brother, their son Rahul Gandhi to return to them. But this will be decided by Rahul Gandhi ji and CEC," ANI quoted Jairam Ramesh as saying.