Union Minister and BJP candidate from Amethi, Smriti Irani, conducted a roadshow on Monday before filing her nomination papers, accompanied by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. The event drew a large crowd, with people lining the streets, showering flowers, and giving a warm welcome to the dignitaries. Smriti Irani started the day with a puja at her residence before engaging with the people of Amethi. As part of her campaign, she rode a scooter through various localities, interacting with residents and seeking their support ahead of Amethi’s voting in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 20.
The Congress party is expected to release its next list of Lok Sabha candidates, including for Uttar Pradesh’s pending seats, within two days. The party recently held a Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting to discuss candidates for key seats in Uttar Pradesh, such as Raebareli and Amethi. Amethi gained attention in the 2019 elections when Rahul Gandhi, who had represented the constituency for 15 years, lost to BJP’s Smriti Irani. Smriti Irani secured victory with 468,514 votes, while Rahul Gandhi received 413,394 votes.
Uttar Pradesh, known for sending the maximum number of MPs (80) to Parliament, is conducting elections in all seven phases. The state has completed voting for phases one and two on April 13 and April 26 respectively. The upcoming phases are scheduled for May 7, May 13, May 20, May 23, and June 1. Vote counting will take place on June 4.