Union Minister and BJP's candidate from Amethi, Smriti Irani, on Friday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Congress of neglecting the development of Amethi.

"The government at the Centre was of his 'mataji' (mother, Sonia Gandhi) and that in UP had their support. But Rahul Gandhi never thought of the development of Amethi," said Irani, while speaking with the people from the Yadav community at her residence here.

Irani defeated Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in the 2019 polls. The Congress party is yet to announce its candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha election from the seat.

Irani said the Gandhi family, especially Rahul Gandhi, wanted the people of Amethi to remain poor. That is why they cannot digest it when a poor man's son becomes the prime servant of India.

"Neither the Congress nor the Gandhi family is able to accept Narendra Modi, who after facing poverty, becoming the 'pradhan sevak' (prime servant) of the country with the blessings of all of you on the strength of his hard work, dedication and honesty," the Amethi MP said.

Irani said if we look at Rahul Gandhi's 15 years versus her five years as MP, everything is visible as to how the Gandhi family neglected Amethi.

"What they (Congress) did not do in 50 years and what Rahul Gandhi did not do in 15 years, the double engine government has done in Amethi in five years," she added.

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