Amethi, (Samajweekly) With Congress MP Rahul Gandhi remaining non-committal on contesting from Amethi Lok Sabha seat, the people in traditional grand-old party’s bastion is now rooting for the other Gandhi — Varun Gandhi.
Ever since Rahul Gandhi lost the election from Amethi in 2019 to BJP’s Smriti Irani, he has shown no interest in reclaiming his ‘family constituency’.
Rahul is now a Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad in Kerala and if sources are to be believed, Rahul would prefer to seek election from Wayanad again.
If Priyanka Gandhi contests the Lok Sabha elections, she is also likely to choose Rae Bareli over Amethi.
An indication to this effect was already made in a letter that Sonia wrote to the people of her constituency earlier this month in which she said, “I know that you will stand by me and my family in future, just as you have in the past.”
Ram Karan Singh — a veteran Congressman who started his career with late Sanjay Gandhi — said that Amethi’s relationship with the Gandhi family began when Sanjay Gandhi won the seat in 1980.
“Time seems to have come full circle now and there are talks that Varun is likely to contest from Amethi in case Rahul Gandhi does not agree to contest. If that happens, we all will be delighted,” said Ram Karan Singh.
When Varun contested the Lok Sabha election in 2014, he had made it a point to reach out to all veteran Congress leaders who had worked with his late father and despite the political differences, they all responded whole-heartedly and welcomed Varun with open arms.
Sources said that the BJP is unlikely to give a ticket to Varun Gandhi who is known to have been highly critical of the party’s policies.
“Varun can shift to Amethi while Maneka Gandhi may go back to Pilibhit where she continues to enjoy a strong base. Varun is likely to contest as an independent with the Congress and Samajwadi Party supporting him. Varun enjoys good relations with Akhilesh Yadav,” said a source close to Varun Gandhi.
Incidentally, Maneka’s constituency Sultanpur has a strong contender from BJP in Rajeshwar Singh, former ED official-turned-politician.
Rajeshwar Singh, who belongs to Sultanpur, is MLA from Sarojini Nagar assembly seat in Lucknow but has been working overtime in Sultanpur. He is said to be in the good books of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
