Union minister Smriti Irani in Lucknow on her way to Amethi in Uttar Pradesh
In Rahul Gandhi's Amethi, union minister Smriti Irani today declared him M.I.A or Missing in Action. She is in the Congress Vice President's Lok Sabha constituency on a one-day tour designed to underscore that he has not visited Amethi in over three months.
"The MP of Amethi (Rahul Gandhi) has been missing from here," said the 39-year-old minister, who is pointedly doing today what Mr Gandhi has been doing in the rest of the country ever since he returned from a two-month sabbatical - offering solace to farmers whose crops have been destroyed by unseasonal rain.
When asked if she had strategically planned her visit six days before Mr Gandhi comes to Amethi, Ms Irani said, "Rahul Gandhi's timing is suspect, not mine."
She also added, "I am glad, at least, Rahul is following my footsteps, the people of Amethi will get to see him."
Mr Gandhi's office had announced his two-day Amethi visit from May 18 on Saturday. Ms Irani insists that came after she announced her visit. "Who is copying whom?" she asked.
Rahul Gandhi, who was in Parliament would only say, "I hope she (Smriti Irani) gets the food park back."
Mr Gandhi and the Congress have accused the government of "revenge politics" by cancelling a massive food processing plant that had been sanctioned for Amethi by the previous UPA government. The "food park" was expected to create thousands of jobs and bring investment to under-developed Amethi, the Congress has said.
In the national elections last year, the BJP had parachuted Ms Irani in Amethi to take on Mr Gandhi, who has been winning the family bastion since 2004. Ms Irani gave Mr Gandhi a run for his money, managing to reduce his margin of victory.
Though she has visited Amethi only once since the elections, a point that the Congress has made, she had sent sarees for women in the Uttar Pradesh district as a Diwali gift.