Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Pilibhit Constituency - Shaped By The Other Gandhis

Pilibhit, a pivotal constituency in Uttar Pradesh, has long been synonymous with the Gandhi family, particularly Maneka Gandhi, the younger daughter-in-law of Indira Gandhi, and her son Varun Gandhi. Over the past 28 years, the Gandhis have solidified their grip on this seat, with Varun the BJP MP.

Electorate Dynamics

Pilibhit's electorate is predominantly rural (82 per cent), compared to 18 per cent urban voters. Scheduled Castes (SC) constitute 16 per cent, while Scheduled Tribes (ST) make up a minute 0.1 per cent. In terms of religious demographics, Hindus constitute 65 per cent of the population, followed by Muslims at 25 per cent, and other religious groups at 10 per cent.

Electoral Triumphs

Maneka Gandhi entered the Pilibhit battleground in 1989, securing her first Lok Sabha seat as a Janata Dal candidate. Since then, both mother and son have maintained their hold on the constituency. Maneka Gandhi won as an independent candidate in 1996. Varun Gandhi, in his debut contest in 2009, won decisively with 4.19 lakh votes. His subsequent wins in 2014 and 2019 further cemented the family's political dominance.

Record of Biggest Independent Victory in UP

Maneka Gandhi won back-to-back elections in 1998 and 1999 as an independent candidate. In the 1999 elections, she secured a staggering 57.94 per cent of the votes, recording the biggest victory among independent candidates in Uttar Pradesh. She defeated the BSP's Anees Ahmed Khan by over 2.25 lakh votes. Maneka Gandhi joined the BJP in 2004.

Political Dynamics

While Amethi and Rae Bareli are synonymous with the Gandhi family, Pilibhit holds a special place for Maneka Gandhi and Varun Gandhi. Varun Gandhi is currently serving his second term as MP. His open criticism of his own party's government in recent years has fuelled speculation of a switch.

Uncertain Horizons

The prospect of the BJP announcing a new candidate for Pilibhit is believed to be a strong one. While the BJP has continuously held the seat since 2004, a change in candidate injects uncertainty into the upcoming election.