Union Minister Smriti Irani at Wayanad's road show
Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani has set her sights on Wayanad, Kerala, after her historic victory in the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency. Irani arrived in Wayanad on April 4 to lend support to BJP state president K. Surendran’s campaign efforts in the region. Surendran, accompanied by Irani and prominent leaders including CK Janu of the Janadhipatya Rashtreeya Sabha and Adivasi Gotra Mahasabha, filed his nomination papers amidst a fervent push by the BJP and its allies to challenge Rahul Gandhi in his stronghold.
The BJP and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners are determined to replicate their success in Amethi by turning Wayanad into another electoral battleground against Rahul Gandhi. Surendran faces a tough triangular contest against the Congress scion and Annie Raja of the Communist Party of India (CPI) in the upcoming elections.
Irani’s presence in Wayanad underscores the BJP’s confidence in her ability to replicate her Amethi victory and deliver a decisive blow to the Nehru-Gandhi family’s dominance in the region. Irani’s victory in Amethi in 2019 marked a significant shift in the political landscape, ending decades of Congress rule in the constituency. Despite her defeat to Rahul Gandhi in 2014, Irani’s relentless focus on grassroots development endeared her to the people of Amethi, ultimately leading to her triumph in 2019.
Amethi, a traditional Congress bastion represented by members of the Nehru-Gandhi family for generations, saw a transformation under Irani’s leadership. Her dedication to the welfare of the constituency’s residents, coupled with her tireless efforts over five years, resonated with voters who were disillusioned with decades of neglect by the ruling party.
Following a massive road show in Wayanad, Union Minister Smriti Irani launched scathing criticism against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of deception and association with outlawed groups. Addressing a mammoth NDA rally, Irani alleged that Rahul’s actions in Wayanad mirrored his betrayal of the people of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
Irani asserted that despite Congress’s long reign in Amethi, it was only under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership that significant progress was made in the region. She highlighted the provision of basic amenities such as toilets and housing to thousands of families in Amethi, contrasting it with the decades of neglect under Congress rule.
Drawing parallels between Amethi and Wayanad, Irani accused Rahul of attempting to replicate his deceptive tactics in the southern constituency. Referring to Rahul’s recent road show in Wayanad, where he referred to the region as his “home” and its people as his “family,” Irani condemned Congress’s exploitation of such sentiments for political gain.
Irani took aim at Rahul’s alliance with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and alleged ties with the Popular Front of India (PFI), a banned extremist group. She accused Rahul of inciting animosity against Sanadhana Dharma and criticised his party’s alleged solicitation of support from the banned PFI.
Highlighting Rahul’s road show in Wayanad devoid of Congress and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) flags, Irani insinuated that Rahul was ashamed of IUML’s support or feared embarrassment in Uttar Pradesh due to his temple visits. She condemned Congress’s alleged alliance with the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political arm of the banned PFI, and accused Rahul of disregarding his allegiance to the country’s Constitution.
Union Minister Smriti Irani has criticised Congress over a statement made by Robert Vadra, claiming that Congress workers in Amethi want him to contest from there. Irani described this assertion as a display of Congress’s arrogance. Vadra’s remarks come amidst speculation about the selection of constituencies by political leaders ahead of the upcoming elections. Irani’s response underscores the intensifying political dynamics in Amethi and highlights the ongoing rivalry between BJP and Congress.
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