Union Minister Smriti Irani has challenged Rahul Gandhi, as his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered Uttar Pradesh today, to contest from his former constituency of Amethi.
Irani told NDTV on Monday, "In 2019 he left Amethi, today Amethi has left him. If he is confident, then without going to Wayanad (Gandhi's Constituency), let him fight from Amethi."
"Amethi's empty roads tell us what they feel about Rahul Gandhi," remarked Irani, who held a Jan Samwad in Amethi during a four-day visit to her parliamentary constituency.
Amethi, once a Congress stronghold in the state, witnessed Rahul Gandhi losing to the BJP leader by a margin of approximately 55,000 votes in the 2019 elections.
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Uttar Pradesh, with 80 seats, sends the most number of MPs to parliament. In the last general elections, the Congress secured just one seat - Raebareli, won by Sonia Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi lost in Amethi but won by a significant margin in Wayanad.
Looking ahead to 2024, Sonia Gandhi will move to Rajya Sabha and has urged the people of Raebareli to "be with my family."
The question remains as to which family member will stand from Raebareli.
"Nobody imagined the Gandhi family will leave their seat," Irani commented, taking aim at Congress.
The Congress is still undecided on whether Rahul Gandhi will attempt to regain the Congress stronghold. "CEC (Congress Central Election Committee) will decide on who will contest from Amethi. Rahul Gandhi has been an MP from Amethi thrice. His father Rajiv Gandhi also used to contest from Amethi. It is a very important constituency for the Congress party...," stated Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.
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Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to address a public rally in Babuganj later in the day and will stay the night in Amethi.
"Today is the 37th day of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi will address a public rally in Babuganj. We will stay in Amethi tonight and reach Raebareli tomorrow morning," added Jairam Ramesh.
