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LITMUS TEST OF AMETHI ASSEMBLY SEAT AWAITS GANDHI SIBLINGS

The recent visit of both Rahul and Priyanka to Amethi, once considered as the Gandhi family bastion, is an attempt by the siblings to reclaim their lost stronghold. In the 2019 Parliamentary polls, Union Minister Smriti Irani defeated Rahul Gandhi thus forcing the former Congress president to look southwards for his onward political journey. Ever […]

Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

The recent visit of both Rahul and Priyanka to Amethi, once considered as the Gandhi family bastion, is an attempt by the siblings to reclaim their lost stronghold. In the 2019 Parliamentary polls, Union Minister Smriti Irani defeated Rahul Gandhi thus forcing the former Congress president to look southwards for his onward political journey. Ever since then, the grand old party has been nursing a desire to win back the seat in the next round of Lok Sabha polls. However, since the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls are due in a few months, it would be equally important for the Congress to put up a strong fight there. In 2017, the indications of the Gandhis losing their grip over this safe seat was provided when the Congress was unable to win even a single Assembly segment. Even in adjoining Rae Bareilly barring one seat, the Congress had lost everything else. Therefore, the litmus test for the brother and sister this time would be to improve their showing in this prestigious region. And failure to win back its supremacy in the two Parliamentary constituencies would be construed as the further diminishment of the party.

Sonia Gandhi was the lone Congress winner from Uttar Pradesh, last time and there is speculation that in 2024, it would be Priyanka who would contest from what used to be the Parliamentary constituency (Rae Bareilly) of her grandparents, Feroze and Indira Gandhi. Amethi swung towards the family much after that when Sanjay Gandhi made his electoral debut from there in 1977 and lost to Ravinder Pratap Singh of the Janata Party. In 1980, Sanjay was able to wrest the seat. However, after his tragic demise in June, 1980, there were several factors that contributed to Rajiv Gandhi contesting from there. Indira Gandhi, who had won from both Rae Bareilly and Medak decided to retain the later.

Maneka Gandhi, who was under 25 years of age could not have been fielded from Amethi, her husband’s constituency. Her relationship with her mother-in-law had started getting estranged and the Congress thus decided to name Rajiv Gandhi to represent Amethi, which he easily won. The objective was also to keep her away from there. Thereafter, Rajiv and later his family members or close friends, were chosen to represent this seat. Ironically, in 1985, Maneka contested against Rajiv and lost since the Congress in the post Indira Gandhi assassination period achieved the unthinkable; more than 400 seats in a Parliamentary poll. The importance of both Rae Bareilly and Amethi for the Congress has been enormous as far as the family is concerned, the loss in these two areas symbolizes the undermining of their clout. Ironically, besides Rahul and Priyanka, both Maneka and her son, Feroze Varun Gandhi, who represent Sultanpur and Pilibhit respectively as BJP nominees in the current Lok Sabha, could reclaim the seats in the future. Parts of what Sanjay and Rajiv represented are already in the Sultanpur constituency and in one sense, both Feroze Varun who won in 2014 and Maneka who was victorious in 2019 from Sultanpur, can make bid for these two seats if political circumstances unfold in their favour.

However, the recent visit of Rahul and Priyanka to the erstwhile family stronghold did indicate they were accorded a rousing reception by the people. The test of their popularity would be firmed up if they win back majority of Assembly segments from the region. The other side of this endeavor would be that if they lose the Assembly seats in Rae Bareilly and Amethi in 2022, the Congress Gandhis would have to rethink their future strategy for Uttar Pradesh, which would be seen as having slipped away from them..

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