Rahul Gandhi To Face Smriti Irani Again After 2019 Loss: Report

Congress leader and current Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi is likely to contest from the party’s former stronghold Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, according to a report by NDTV. Rahul Gandhi began his electoral debut in 2004 from the party’s then stronghold Amathi, winning the seat and retaining it for three consecutive terms till 2019. In the 2019 general election, the former Congress president had to face defeat to BJP’s Smriti Irani when she won the seat with a relative majority. Smriti Irani had lost to Rahul Gandhi in her Lok Sabha debut in 2014. Rahul Gandhi was elected to the parliament from Kerala”s Wayanad with a historic majority of more than four lakh.

However, as the BJP announced its first list, it had confirmed the ticket of the Union minister and sitting MP Smriti Irani from Gandhi family’s legacy seat. The constituency had been earlier represented by Rahul Gandhi’s uncle Sanjay Gandhi, father Rajiv Gandhi and later, his mother Sonia Gandhi.

Notably, Rahul Gandhi during the ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra walked through his earlier constituency as he was enthusiastically welcomed by the locals. His candidature has been reportedly greenlighted by the Congress high command. However, the official announcement is yet to be made.

Interestingly, Union minister and incumbent MP has been visiting her constituency in an aggressive manner to retain the seat. She had also challenged the Congress leader asking him to contest only from Amethi this time.

In a public event in February, Ms Irani said, “If he is confident, then without going to Wayanad, let him fight from Amethi… In 2019 he left Amethi, today Amethi has left him… Amethi”s empty roads tell us what they feel about Rahul Gandhi.”

When Rahul Gandhi”s Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra entered Amethi, Smriti Irani also conducted several outreach programs in the constituency, apparently to challenge the Congress leader.