New Delhi: Robert Vadra has indicated his keenness to contest Lok Sabha elections from Amethi. In an interview, the husband of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that the people of Amethi expect him to represent their constituency if he thinks of becoming a Member of the Parliament.
In an interview, Vadra targeted Union Minister Smriti Irani, who represents Amethi saying people feel they have committed a mistake electing her. Smriti Irani defeated Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha Polls from Amethi in one of the biggest upsets of the elections.
Almost pitching his candidature from the constituency Vadra said that the Gandhi Family has worked hard in Amethi and surrounding areas. He said that the people of Amethi want a member of the Gandhi family to return to the constituency so they will ensure the candidate’s victory with a huge margin and he added that the people also expect that if he takes his first step into politics then he should represent Amethi.
However, Vadra also said he wanted party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi should become MP first and he could follow her.”I want Priyanka (Gandhi) to become an MP first and then I feel I can also come…I interact with people and there are MPs from different parties. They (MPs) ask me to come along with their party and ask me the reasons for the delay”.
They also assure me of their support…so different parties across the country are asking me to come along…I have friendships with a lot of people above the party lines,” he said. Vadra said that the decision on Amethi and Rae Bareli will be taken by the Congress leadership.”I’m not saying that I will contest from Amethi or Priyanka will contest from Rae Bareli. The decision will taken by the Congress party,” he added.
Vadra said he joined hands with Priyanka Gandhi for the Congress campaign in Amethi in the 1999 Lok Sabha polls.”At that time politics was very different, fear was sought to be created among people. We used to visit sensitive areas at night, put up posters, distribute bags, work hard with our workers day and night and give them trust that we are there and they should keep working in their areas and booths. They know how we worked hard and there was brotherhood and love, which is still there,” he said.
“The people with whom I worked…outside my office, residence…they send messages through social media, they cut cake on my birthday, arrange langar or other service for people because they know I like this. People in the country see that I stay among people, work hard as much as possible for the disabled and blind children and spend all my time in charity. I visit on religious tour and they celebrate my birthday and celebrate festivals in my name and distribute among people there (Amethi),” he added.
Vadra was asked if he could be a candidate from Amethi. He said the person who represents Amethi should talk about the welfare of the people of the constituency, their well-being, and security and should not indulge in politics of discrimination.
He said the people of the constituency are very upset with the present MP from the seat.”They feel they made a mistake as I think she does not visit the seat frequently, she does not think of the progress of the constituency, she thinks about how to make baseless allegations, raise questions about the Gandhi family create noise and misuse her position,” he said.
“Gandhi family has for years worked hard in Amethi, Rae Bareli, Sultanpur, Jagdishpur…there was a lot of progress. When people of Amethi feel that they made a mistake and voted for Smriti and Rahul had from there…..whatever, he had to go to another constituency or whatever…, I feel they want that a member of Gandhi family come back…,” he said. Congress has not yet named its candidates for Amethi and Rae Bareli seats in Uttar Pradesh, where it is contesting the Lok Sabha polls in alliance with Samajwadi Party.
The Congress election committee in Uttar Pradesh had last month unanimously recommended that members of the Gandhi family should contest from Amethi and Raebareli Lok Sabha constituencies. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi has been representing Rae Bareli since 2004. She has now been elected to Rajya Sabha.
