Rahul Gandhi vs Smriti Irani 3.0 In Amethi: Sources

Amethi, once the pocketborough of the Gandhi family, has seen overtures from both its sitting MP and the former one as the general election inches closer. While Union minister Smriti Irani has bought a house in the constituency, Rahul Gandhi has walked through it in his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. It was one of his rare appearances there in the last five years.  

On the heels of the yatra comes news that the two contestants will face off for a third time this summer. Earlier today, sources said Mr Gandhi's candidature for the seat has been greenlighted by the Congress top leadership, though a formal announcement is pending.

The 53-year-old will make an effort to win back the seat, represented earlier by his uncle Sanjay Gandhi, father Rajiv Gandhi and later, his mother Sonia Gandhi.

Union minister Smriti Irani, meanwhile, bought a house there last month, signalling long-term plans for the Congress bastion that never a home for the Gandhis.

Her "Griha Pravesh" ceremony, held in the last week of February, vied for attention with the yatra. On February 19, as the Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Amethi, Ms Irani held her public outreach programme, the Jan Samvad Vikas Yatra. Their paths did not cross.

Ms Irani had set her cap for Amethi ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. That time, she had camped out in the constituency -- held by Rahul Gandhi for three consecutive terms -- for days but lost the election.

She, however, did not sever connections. Instead, she redoubled her efforts to please the people, coming and going there regularly, distributing gifts at festivals. Her party even declared Mr Gandhi "missing" from the constituency during one of his absences.

In 2019, her efforts paid off. Amethi sent her to the Lok Sabha, with 55,000 votes more than Rahul Gandhi, who now represents Kerala's Wayanad in parliament's lower house.

This time, Smriti Irani has tossed  a dare at Mr Gandhi, saying he should contest only from Amethi if he was so confident.

"If he is confident, then without going to Wayanad (Mr Gandhi's Constituency), let him fight from Amethi," Ms Irani had told NDTV. "In 2019 he left Amethi, today Amethi has left him... Amethi's empty roads tell us what they feel about Rahul Gandhi," she said at a public rally in the constituency last month.

The other Uttar Pradesh seat the Gandhi family has held onto for a long time -- Raebareli -- is also expects to see a fresh face. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, whose plunge into electoral politics has been eagerly awaited for the party for a long time, will be fielded from the seat, sources said.

Sonia Gandhi has been nurturing Raebareli since 2004, when Rahul Gandhi took over Amethi. Raebareli has been represented by her parents -in-law Feroze Gandhi and Indira Gandhi.