Rahul in crosshairs of Smriti Irani: Why BJP’s Amethi show fuels buzz

In Uttar Pradesh's Amethi constituency, traditionally a stronghold of the Gandhi family, the ruling BJP staged a grand induction ceremony for three former Samajwadi Party (SP) legislators into the BJP fold. The event took place at the village of Gauriganj, where the three legislators - Rakesh Pratap Singh, Abhay Singh, and Vinod Chaturvedi - joined the BJP amidst a caravan of supporters traveling from nearby Kalpi and Gosaiganj.

Present at the event were prominent BJP figures including Smriti Irani, the national general secretary and ex-Union minister, along with other party leaders and representatives. Smriti Irani, who once contested from Amethi against Rahul Gandhi in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, addressed the gathering, explaining the significance of Balyan's presence. She recalled how Balyan had ensured availability of fertilizers in Gauriganj at her request during his tenure as a Union minister.

Smriti reminisced about her own election battles against Rahul Gandhi, stating that Amethi's 2024 Lok Sabha poll results would become a topic of political study. She criticized the Gandhi family for not contesting the election in Amethi on their own and instead relying on Congress loyalists to lead the country. Smriti also addressed the Congress party, questioning their loss in Assembly elections since 1989 and their allegations against the Election Commission.

Pankaj Chaudhary, UP BJP chief and Union Minister, highlighted Smriti's work in Amethi, claiming that despite her five-year tenure, Congress couldn't achieve similar development in 60 years. The BJP's decision to organize the SP MLAs' joining program in Amethi is seen as a message that the party has reclaimed the bastions of Amethi and Rae Bareli, according to state party spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi. The BJP leader noted that such a move could impact Assembly seats in the Kashi and Awadh regions.