Published 18:15 IST, May 23rd 2019
2019 Lok Sabha Election Results: Lok Sabha Smriti Irani's triumphant metaphor after defeating Rahul Gandhi in Amethi is one for the ages
As Congress chief Rahul Gandhi concedes defeat from Amethi, and Smriti Irani leading by 299001 votes, she took to Twitter to describe her feelings about decimating the Gandhi bastion.
As Congress chief Rahul Gandhi concedes defeat from Amethi, and Smriti Irani leading by 299001 votes, she took to Twitter to describe her feelings about decimating the Gandhi bastion.
Taking to Twitter, she used a Hindi proverb and said:
"Who says there cannot be a tunnel in the sky."
Amethi went to polls in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha polls on April 29 amid the charges of 'booth-rigging' by Smriti Irani and the sitting MP being absent from the constituency during the polls. With Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s entry in the political fray as the party’s General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh East, Amethi witnessed high-pitched and heated election campaigning from the newly-inducted member of the Congress party. This election season, Priyanka Gandhi seemed to be more concerned about Amethi, all thanks to the strong competition from Smriti Irani and consistent attacks at Rahul Gandhi, alleging lack of developmental programs by the MP, and jibes at him over his absence from the constituency in the past 15 years of him being in the office.
The Congress party has always won in Amethi except two times - during the 1977 elections when Janata Party's Ravindra Pratap Singh won and during 1999 elections when BJP's Dr. Sanjay Sinh won.
Along with the test of Priyanka Gandhi’s potential as an influential leader, the Congress party invested its full might in securing Amethi for Rahul Gandhi. From massive roadshows on the day of his nomination filing to top party leaders campaigning in the constituency for their party president.
During the campaign trail, Smriti Irani gave a tough fight by camping door-to-door in Amethi and addressing the problems of the people personally. Top BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself addressed an election rally in the constituency, attacking the Gandhi family for the lack of facilities in Amethi.
In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Smriti Irani was defeated by Rahul Gandhi with a significant vote-ratio of about 3:4 which sums to over a lakh votes. Seemingly, Irani’s tough challenge led to the Congress president contesting from a second seat this election from Kerala’s Wayanad.
Updated 19:01 IST, May 23rd 2019