The BJP leader and sitting MP for Pilibhit, Varun Gandhi, arrived in Sultanpur on Thursday to campaign for his mother, Maneka Gandhi, who is running for a parliamentary seat there.
Speaking at a rally, Varun Gandhi remarked, “Elections are going on everywhere in the country... but there is only one region in the country where people don’t call their MP, sansad ji, mantri ji, or by her name, but call her mata ji, and that is Sultanpur.”
This rally marks Varun Gandhi's first public appearance this election season. He has largely remained out of the public eye since being replaced by the BJP's Jitin Prasada as the candidate for Pilibhit. Pilibhit participated in the first phase of the elections.
In 2019, Varun Gandhi, a former MP from Sultanpur, swapped constituencies with his mother, securing a decisive victory in Pilibhit, while Maneka Gandhi won in Sultanpur.
“I have come to Sultanpur to campaign only for my mother. Because of my father Sanjay Gandhi, till now I considered Sultanpur as my fatherland; from today, Sultanpur is my motherland too,” Varun Gandhi told the rally.
He emphasised that he harboured no animosity towards candidates from other parties, including the alliance candidate, and promised to support everyone during difficult times.
Notably, Varun Gandhi refrained from mentioning any BJP leaders or the central leadership during his speech. He also shared his mobile number with the audience.
“Today, it is a matter of great joy for me that when the name of Sultanpur is taken in the country, that name is taken in the mainstream,” he added.
Campaigning for the sixth phase of the election will conclude on Thursday evening.
Maneka Gandhi faces competition from Ram Bhual Nishad of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Udraj Varma of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
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