) Kishori Lal Sharma, the Congress candidate for Amethi, said the BJP's claim that his party had accepted defeat in this constituency smacks of "arrogance" and asserted that his win in the Lok Sabha polls would be a victory for the Gandhi family.
In an interview with PTI on Thursday, Sharma referenced past instances involving Congress leader Satish Sharma, who yielded his candidature in Amethi in the 1990s for Sonia Gandhi, and expressed his willingness to do the same for a member of the Gandhi family in the future.
Sharma, who previously won the Amethi seat in 1991 and 1996 before shifting to Rae Bareli in 1999 to accommodate Sonia Gandhi, is now contesting from Amethi, while Rahul Gandhi is running from Rae Bareli.
Responding to the BJP's criticism of Congress conceding defeat in Amethi by fielding him instead of a Gandhi family member, Sharma dismissed it as "arrogance," stating, "The answer to this will be given by the people on May 20, and the result will be out on June 4."
Regarding allegations that Rahul Gandhi "ran away" due to fear of losing to Amethi, Sharma asserted, "Neither the Gandhis (Nehru-Gandhi family) ran away during the time of the Britishers nor have they run away now or will so do in the future. We will make others run away."
Referring to BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh's derogatory remarks, calling him the Gandhi family's "peon" and "Priyanka Gandhi's clerk," Sharma refrained from engaging in personal attacks, stating, "But I don't want to reply to such talk."
Asserting the significance of the Gandhi family's presence in the constituency, Sharma reiterated, "This is their constituency... If such a situation arises in the future, I will do the same," referring to the tradition of stepping aside for a Gandhi family member to contest.
Asked about his remarks that the constituency is 'amanat' of the Gandhi family, Sharma said he has been looking after the Rae Bareli and Amethi constituencies for more than 41 years, and the Gandhi family resides in the minds of everyone here.
Sharma vowed to safeguard the legacy of the Gandhi family in Amethi, stating, "If elected, I will work as an MP and will keep the Gandhi family's 'amanat' safe."
He praised Priyanka Gandhi's involvement in the campaign as a morale booster for party workers.
Reflecting on Rahul Gandhi's defeat in the 2019 polls, Sharma attributed it to administrative misuse and shortcomings in Congress' management.
When asked if his victory would signify the Gandhi family's triumph, Sharma affirmed, "It will be their victory."
Amethi, long considered a stronghold of the Gandhis, faces a significant electoral shift this year, with no Gandhi family member contesting for the first time in 25 years. In the 2019 general elections, the BJP's Smriti Irani emerged victorious over Rahul Gandhi by more than 55,000 votes, breaching the Congress fortress.
Follow us
