Amethi:
The BJP's Smriti Irani, who takes on
Rahul Gandhi in his constituency Amethi in the national election, has dismissed his sister
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's snub with one of her own.
Prepping for BJP prime ministerial candidate
Narendra Modi's rally in Amethi this afternoon, Ms Irani smiled widely as she told NDTV, "Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attacks me just to grab the headlines," adding, "Why should I waste my time responding to someone who is not even the candidate." (
Also Read: Narendra Modi to Campaign in Rahul Gandhi's Amethi)
Ms Vadra's cold "who?'' in response to questions about Ms Irani on Sunday indeed made headlines. She was staging a massive roadshow with Rahul, who has been winning Amethi since 2004. (
Also Read: 'Who?' Asks Priyanka on Smriti Irani)
Priyanka is not contesting the election, but as campaign manager for her mother, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and brother, has launched an aggressive confrontation with Mr Modi.
Ms Irani said Mr Modi's visit to Amethi would ensure the BJP's victory. "I am fully confident of winning Amethi; their nervousness is evident in Priyanka's daily barbs," she said.
The BJP's chief strategist
Arun Jaitley this morning offered some tips on what he calls "mature politics and statecraft" to Ms Vadra in a Facebook post.
"Arrogance is to be avoided. Humility is always a preferred option. Mrs Vadra's statement yesterday on Smriti Irani denying her existence by asking a question "who" displays arrogance at its worst," he wrote.
Mr Modi is on a high-voltage five-rally trip to Uttar Pradesh today that he will wind up with the Amethi assault. Opinion polls show the BJP is positioned to win the most seats in the national election. The Congress, whose campaign is fronted by Rahul Gandhi, is struggling with predictions of one of its poorest performances ever.
Mr Jaitley referred to opinion polls on UP to argue that this time Rahul Gandhi is vulnerable in Amethi, considered a Gandhi bastion and one of the safest seats for the Congress.
In a tough contest, Mr Gandhi faces, apart from Ms Irani, Aam Aadmi Party's
Kumar Vishwas. Amethi votes on May 7.