'Congress has accepted its defeat...': Smriti Irani as Rahul ditches Amethi for Rae Bareli

Union minister Smriti Irani

In a scathing attack on Congress, union minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani said that the party has accepted its defeat from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat even before the elections.

Her remarks came after the official announcement regarding Kishori Lal Sharma and Rahul Gandhi's candidature from Amethi and Rae Bareli seats respectively.

"No member of the Gandhi family contesting from Amethi in itself is an indication that Congress has accepted its defeat from the seat even before elections," said Irani said.

The Amethi MP further said, "If development was possible in Amethi in the last five years under BJP MP, then why did Congress do such harm to the constituency over the last many decades? Today is the victory of the people of Amethi... In the last three years, Congress' top leadership was not present there for the public."

#WATCH | On Congress, Amethi MP & Union Minister Smriti Irani in her parliamentary constituency says, "If development was possible in Amethi in the last five years under BJP MP, then why did Congress do such harm to Amethi over the last many decades?. Today is the victory of the… pic.twitter.com/oahZKG2bsY

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Earlier this week, Irani had filed nomination papers from the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency. Accompanied by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and other BJP leaders, Irani held a 3-km roadshow, which started from the BJP office in Gauriganj, before filing her papers.

Speaking to reporters after filing her nomination, Irani said that with the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she got the opportunity to serve Amethi five years ago. She claimed that she could achieve in five years what was not possible in 50 years.

Attacking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who represented Amethi from 2004 to 2019, Irani said, "There was a time when due to the missing MP, the farmers of Amethi had to face lathis for 15 years for fertiliser. But the prime minister freed the farmers from this serious problem by building a fertiliser centre in Amethi."

Rahul Gandhi lost the Amethi seat to Smriti Irani in the 2019 general elections.