The Congress fielded Kishori Lal Sharma from Amethi as part of its political strategy and since he can defeat BJP's Smriti Irani, "then what is the need for fielding a big national leader" like Rahul Gandhi, party veteran Ashok Gehlot has said.

Gehlot, who is here as the senior AICC observer for the Amethi parliamentary seat in Uttar Pradesh, also exuded confidence that the Congress will win both Amethi and Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seats by a "big margin".

While former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is contesting against BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh in Rae Bareli, Gandhi family aide Sharma is taking on BJP's Irani in Amethi.

On no Gandhi family member contesting from Amethi for the first time in 25 years, Gehlot said the situation is such that there are five assembly segments in this parliamentary constituency and if one asks anyone in each of these segments, one would know that this is a “one-sided” election in favour of the Congress.

"The Congress is fighting the polls from here, our candidate is fighting, but the people have taken it upon themselves to fight this election,” the former Rajasthan chief minister said.

Asked about Irani, who defeated Rahul Gandhi here last time, claiming that he ran away to a safer seat, Gehlot said, “We have already answered – when K L Sharma ji is sufficient to take on Smriti Irani then why are people talking about Rahul Gandhi." "This is part of the Congress’ political strategy and he (Sharma) has been given a ticket after much thought going into it. So they can say whatever they want to. When we know that K L Sharma ji can make us win the election here then there was no need of fielding Rahul Gandhi," Gehlot argued.

Noting that Sharma had been a Congress worker for 40 years, Gehlot said the Congress has sent out a message to the whole country by giving him a chance to contest elections.

“A message has gone out in the whole country and the decision of fielding him is being welcomed. When he can defeat Smriti Irani ji, then Rahul Gandhi is a big national leader, and there is no need of fielding him,” the veteran Congress leader said.

On “Priyanka Gandhi’s clerk” and “Gandhi family’s peon” jibe at Sharma by BJP Rae Bareli candidate Dinesh Singh, Gehlot said such statements have not been liked by the people of Amethi and there is a reaction to it.

“All these comments will increase the margin of victory,” he added.

Gehlot exuded confidence that the Congress will win in both the constituencies.

“There is a reason for it. Smriti Irani after losing in 2014, worked to mislead people for five years. Rahul Gandhi kept on working in people’s interest and raised issues of unemployment and price rise. They (the BJP) kept misleading people and in the elections in 2019, an environment was created post-Balakot … the BJP won everywhere, there was 25-0 in Rajasthan, in Madhya Pradesh also they won big and won all seats in Gujarat. That environment was different,” he said.

Gehlot claimed that after five years of her term as an MP here, Irani could neither bring any investments nor institutions that would benefit people, and Amethi remained deprived.

“I heard IIIT was coming but went to Prayagraj. The hospital here was closed and then reopened only after high court orders. Wherever I go, I hear about allegations against her (Irani) that work was not done and she did not meet people,” Gehlot said.

He said people expect three things from an MP – that he or she stays amongst people, stands by them in their happier or sad times, and does development.

Gehlot claimed that Irani had failed on all the three counts as an MP. "There is so much reaction among people. There will be very few candidates against whom such opposition would be there,” he said.

Asked about Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks in Rae Bareli that the Gandhi family did not do development in the constituency and did not stand by people in their happiness and sorrows, Gehlot said, “Amit Shah has no knowledge of these things. He only makes comments without giving it any thought.” “Someone should ask him, I came here in 1981 for a by-election and stayed for one month in Rae Bareli and Amethi. I have come now and one cannot recognise the place, it has transformed,” he said.

“All this talk that nothing has happened in 70 years, these 'jumlas' Shah has borrowed from PM (Narendra Modi). What all has not happened? Roads have been constructed, water, electricity, education, health, airport…all this development was done here under Gandhi family’s period. So no one believes in their talk,” the Congress leader said.

“We will win Amethi and Rae Bareli by a big margin. The Congress and INDIA bloc is winning in the whole country, so you can imagine the scale of victory here. Everyone is awaiting June 4,” he said, referring to the date of counting of votes.

Along with Gehlot and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, who is senior AICC observer for Rae Bareli, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is camped in Rae Bareli and Amethi till polls are held in the two seats on May 20.

She is addressing back-to-back corner meetings in various villages of Rae Bareli and Amethi.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, while Sonia Gandhi had won from Rae Bareli, Rahul Gandhi had lost to the BJP's Smriti Irani in Amethi.

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