2024 polls: Varun Gandhi quashes rumors of contesting from Amethi
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Varun Gandhi has denied reports that he will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, as an independent candidate. There were rumors that he would quit the BJP ahead of the 2024 polls. The 43-year-old three-time MP from Pilibhit is also a former national general secretary of the BJP. It was reported that Gandhi could receive backing from the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, which has allocated the Amethi seat to the Congress.
Why does this story matter?
Amethi was a stronghold of the Nehru-Gandhi family until 2019 when Rahul Gandhi lost the seat to the BJP's Smriti Irani. Before that, he held the seat for 15 years. However, now that Rahul is reportedly disinterested in contesting elections from Amethi, the constituents have expressed their inclination towards Gandhi. To note, Gandhi is not a likely candidate from this Lok Sabha constituency for the BJP, which will probably field Irani again from the seat.
Gandhi's criticism of Centre, UP government
Over the last couple of years, Gandhi has taken a critical stand on many issues against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government at the Centre and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's Uttar Pradesh government. In October 2023, he challenged the UP government's decision to suspend the license of Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Amethi. The Allahabad High Court later halted the suspension, earning praise from the BJP leader. Two months later, he condemned the state government for permitting alcohol sales at railway stations.
Gandhi's support of farmers' protest
Earlier, Gandhi also supported the farmers' 2020-21 protest against the government over three now-repealed central farm laws. He also sought "accountability" for the death of eight people in UP's Lakhimpur Kheri. The victims, including four farmers, were killed after being run over by a vehicle allegedly driven by Ashish Mishra, the son of BJP leader and Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni.
Gandhi, mother removed from BJP panel
Following his advocacy for Lakhimpur Kheri victims, Varun and his mother, Maneka Gandhi, were removed from the BJP's National Executive Committee. Moreover, there was speculation that Gandhi might join the Samajwadi Party (SP) before the 2022 UP assembly elections. Sources, however, said he chose to complete his Lok Sabha term instead. In November 2022, Varun met his cousin Rahul at Kedarnath Temple, sparking rumors of a potential switch to the Congress. Rahul, however, dismissed these speculations in January 2023.
SP-Congress seat-sharing arrangement in UP
Separately, last week, the Congress reached a seat-sharing deal for Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha polls. It will contest on 17 of the state's 80 Lok Sabha seats, while the remaining 63 seats will be allocated to Akhilesh Yadav's SP and other INDIA bloc partners. The Congress's UP in-charge, Avinash Pande, made the announcement at a press conference.
