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Amethi. Congress has handed over the command of Uttar Pradesh to Bhumihar leader Ajay Rai this time. With this, the Congress is once again eyeing the Lok Sabha seats in UP. In this, like 2019, a big fight can be seen in Amethi in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well. An interesting contest can be expected between Rahul Gandhi of Congress and Smriti Irani (Smriti Irani) of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The newly appointed Congress state president Ajay Rai is also indicating that Rahul Gandhi will contest from Amethi in 2024.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Smriti Irani defeated Rahul Gandhi from Amethi seat. In fact, the Congress had already had apprehensions about the weakening of Amethi’s stronghold, that is why the Congress fielded Rahul Gandhi from the second seat of Wayanad as well. Despite losing from Amethi, Rahul reached the Parliament after being elected from Wayanad.
What happened in 2019?
Wayanad was a safe seat for the Congress, so there was no doubt about the victory of the Congress. The Congress also felt that as a Member of Parliament (MP) from a southern state, Gandhi would help the party regain its footing in the south, where the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), the Yuvajana Shramik Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) Regional parties are moving forward.
But party sources say that with Rahul Gandhi contesting from both the seats, the BJP was able to push the point that he is running away from his family bastion Amethi and is scared. Despite her defeat, Irani kept going back to Amethi and reiterated how the same party in power at the Center and in the state would help the people of the constituency.
In fact, in the trends News 18 got on the day of polling, women were seen talking about change and development. Irani played the woman card and it worked for her. Gandhi’s absence on polling day also hurt him further.
Challenge of 2024, Priyanka from Varanasi?
There is a challenge for Rahul Gandhi even in 2024. The Congress will have to ensure that the anti-BJP vote is not divided and Gandhi’s absence from Amethi does not hurt them. The BJP is ready for a fight and will raise the issue that when Gandhi lost, he visited Amethi only twice.
The next speculation is about Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Will she contest from Varanasi or any other seat? Ajay Rai indicated that she might, but no decision has been taken. A lot depends on whether his mother Sonia Gandhi wants to retire from Lok Sabha politics or not. After this, it will put pressure on the brothers and sisters to divide the land of Uttar Pradesh among themselves.
