Should Varun be fielded from Amethi? Congress probed the hearts of workers

Lok Sabha Elections: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has canceled the ticket of current Pilibhit MP Varun Gandhi. Jitin Prasad has been fielded in place of Varun Gandhi. After being denied ticket from BJP, many discussions are going on in the political circles regarding Varun Gandhi. Some are saying that he should contest from Amethi or Rae Bareli on Congress ticket, while others are talking about contesting from Pilibhit as an independent. Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary even offered Varun Gandhi to join Congress.

Amidst the ongoing discussions regarding Varun Gandhi, the Congress high command has taken feedback from the workers of Amethi. There are two opinions among Congress workers regarding Varun. One camp wants that if Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi do not contest, Varun should contest from Amethi as an independent and Congress-SP should support him. But the other camp says that after Sonia Gandhi, this generation has Rahul and Priyanka in Congress, so why is a third Gandhi needed?

Let us tell you that Amethi, prepared by Sanjay Gandhi, has been in control of the Rajiv Gandhi camp of the Gandhi family since 1980. Sometimes Sonia and sometimes Rahul were MPs here. Sanjay Gandhi lost from Amethi in 1977. But he won in 1980. He died this year. Then Rajiv Gandhi won in the by-election.

There was a breakdown in the Gandhi family. Indira Gandhi supported Rajiv. In 1985, Maneka Gandhi contested elections in Amethi claiming her heritage and raised the slogan - There is noise in every street, Rajiv Gandhi is a thief. Maneka has now been fielded from Sultanpur on BJP ticket. In such a situation, there was no discussion in the Gandhi family on bringing Varun to Amethi. Only when Maneka takes a decision like returning the ticket can there be scope for any discussion. There is no need to even discuss Maneka contesting from Sultanpur on BJP ticket.

There will be no discussion in CEC meeting

There is also a meeting of Congress CEC today i.e. on Wednesday. There will be no discussion on Amethi and Rae Bareli. In fact, the CEC has been informed that the district and state units want the Gandhi family to contest from Amethi-Rae Bareli and it will take the final decision. Therefore, now the decision of the Gandhi family will come directly from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. This is the reason why these seats will no longer be discussed in the CEC.

Who won in Amethi when?

Amethi is called the stronghold of Congress. Congress had won the first elections held on this seat in 1967. He won again in 1971 also. In 1977, Ravindra Pratap Singh of Janata Party won. Sanjay Gandhi became the MP here in 1980. Rajiv Gandhi was the MP here in 1981 by-elections, 1984, 1989 and 1991. Congress also won the 1991 by-elections and 1996 elections. In 1998, BJP breached the Congress stronghold. But in 1999, Congress made a comeback and Sonia Gandhi became the MP here.

Rahul Gandhi landed from here in 2004. He won his very first election. He won in 2009 also. In 2014, Rahul Gandhi scored a hat-trick of victories, but in 2019 he lost to BJP's Smriti Irani.