Congress's Rahul Gandhi has shifted to Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli, leaving Amethi to family loyalist and party leader KL Sharma. But he was the opponent who is being targeted by the BJP's Union minister Smriti Irani, the sitting MP of Amethi. Ms Irani, who wrested Amethi from Rahul Gandhi in 2019, is hoping for a second consecutive term.
Speaking at a rally today, Ms Irani targeted Mr Gandhi over a Pakistani leader's comments in his support.
"Till now I used to contest against Congress candidates, but now a Pakistani leader has said, 'Smriti Irani should be defeated," Ms Irani said to loud cheers.
"I thought 'You cannot handle Pakistan, you are worrying about Amethi?' If my voice is reaching the Pakistani leader, I want to say that this is Amethi, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi has built a factory of AK 203 rifles. That rifle is used to kill Pakistani terrorists on the border," she added.
Then came the attack on Mr Gandhi. "Today I want to ask, 'What is this relationship between Pakistan and Rahul Gandhi? Elections are going on in the country but you (Rahul Gandhi) are getting support from them and did not condemn it," she added.
Last week, former Pakistan minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain had praised Rahul Gandhi in a post on social media. Mr Gandhi since has been targeted by the BJP on this issue. Most leaders, starting with PM Modi, had questioned his "Pakistan connection".
Last week, PM Modi had alleged a "partnership" between the Congress and Pakistan, saying it now stands "fully exposed".
"You must have come to know that a Pakistani leader is offering prayers for the Congress. Pakistan is impatient to make Shehzada (Rahul Gandhi) the Prime Minister... And we know that the Congress is a disciple of Pakistan," he had said.
Mr Gandhi, who has contested from Wayanad, was announced last week as the candidate for Raebareli, the constituency vacated by his mother Sonia Gandhi as she shifted to the Rajya Sabha.
Mr Gandhi was widely expected to attempt to win back Amethi, which sent him to the Lok Sabha thrice. His shift to Raebareli – described by many Congress leaders as a strategic move – had drawn jabs from the BJP. PM Modi had said Mr Gandhi should not run but stand and fight.
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