In the midst of the ongoing Lok Sabha election campaign, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart Smriti Irani took a swipe at Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's decision to not contest from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat, a move that had been anticipated for some time. Irani, who defeated Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Amethi, characterized this move as a significant tribute to her standing within the Congress party.
For the Congress party to acknowledge that their entire strategy and energy was laser-focused on me is a colossal compliment, as it implies that I held immense significance for them, Irani asserted during an exclusive interview with India Today TV.
Irani's comments were a direct response to senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's earlier tweet, in which he asserted that Irani's sole claim to fame was her repeated electoral contests against Gandhi in Amethi. Ramesh further stated that Irani's political relevance diminished following Gandhi's decision to contest from the Raebareli seat.
Presently, Smriti Irani's sole identity is her participation in electoral battles against Rahul Gandhi in Amethi. With Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest from Raebareli, she has lost her primary political significance. Instead of indulging in vacuous rhetoric, Smriti Irani should now address the lack of local development, including the closure of hospitals, steel plants, and IIITs, Ramesh tweeted.
In her interview, Irani emphasized that the Congress party's decision was a historic development, marking a significant departure from the Gandhi family's decades-long association with the Amethi constituency.
This is not the first instance of Rahul Gandhi shunning Amethi. In 2019, he chose to contest from Wayanad, abandoning Amethi. Today, the Gandhi family's declaration of defeat by vacating Amethi holds great significance, as it aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's repeated statements during his Lok Sabha interviews, Irani remarked.
The Congress party's fabrications, particularly those aimed at the people of Wayanad, have now been unmasked. I believe Rahul Gandhi should have informed the electorate of Wayanad prior to the polls about his intent to contest from another constituency as well, Irani added.
Turning to her own accomplishments in Amethi, Irani responded, I believe the Gandhi family has provided the most eloquent answer to my contributions by fleeing from here.
Regarding my accomplishments in Amethi, it is important to recognize that we faced the COVID-19 pandemic for two years. During the remaining three years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, over 114,000 homes were constructed, toilets were provided to 400,000 homes, water connections were established in 350,000 homes, gas connections were distributed to 220,000 homes, and 150,000 households gained access to electricity, Irani elaborated.
Irani's candid response came shortly after Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination from the Raebareli Lok Sabha seat, effectively ending weeks of conjecture about the Gandhi scion's possible electoral showdown with the BJP's giant killer in Congress's traditional stronghold. Concurrently, Congress loyalist KL Sharma filed his nomination from Amethi, which is scheduled to go to polls in the fifth phase on May 20.
