KL Sharma, the Congress party candidate contesting against Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Smriti Irani from Amethi Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh, said on Saturday that he is not contesting to lose the election.
Sharma, the close aide of the Gandhi family, made the remark while speaking to ANI when asked if he doesn’t feel Smriti Irani is a very strong candidate and sitting MP.
Also Read: Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Raebareli, Amethi among 14 UP seats voting in Phase 5 on May 20. Check details here
“No candidate is small. Every person contests to win. I am not contesting to lose. In am contesting to win, she (Smriti Irani) is also contesting to win. The decision is upto the people,” Sharma said.
On May 3, Congress party announced Rahul’s candidature from Raebareli and loyalist KL Sharma’s from Amethi. In 2019 elections, Irani trounced Rahul from Amethi seat.
When questioned why he decided to contest election this time after being backroom boy for the Gandhi pariwar in Amethi, Sharma said, “I did not decide (to contest), it was decided by the party. I am a soldier of the party and abiding by the party’s decision.”
Also Read: ‘Amethi, Raebareli very pro-Congress, no matter who BJP fields…’: Sachin Pilot ahead of Lok Sabha Phase 5 polls
The Congress leader also said that the Gandhi family has developed Amethi constituency. “Vote for us on the basis on our development work and our (the Gandhi family’s) legacy. Vote for them (BJP) for development work they have done. When Rahul Gandhi became an MP from Amethi, there used to be one national highway. During 10-year-ture of our government the number of highways rose to six. Isn’t it development,” said Sharma
“Raebareli and Amethi are considered constituencies of the Gandhi family. So, Rahul Gandhi is contesting from Raebareli and I am fighting from here,” Sharma added.
Also Read: Lok Sabha elections 2024: Rahul Gandhi lost Amethi, will lose Raebareli too, says PM Modi
Sonia Gandhi contested and won Amethi in 1999. In 2004, she passed the baton to Rahul Gandhi. Since then, Rahul Gandhi represented the seat till 2019. In 2019, Smriti Irani was elected from the seat.
Amethi, the most-watched seat in the fifth phase, will go to the polls on May 20.
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Published: 18 May 2024, 03:11 PM IST
