Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah will visit Amethi in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday where he will hold a mega roadshow to seek votes in favour of party candidate Smriti Irani. As per the schedule announced by the BJP, Shah will reach Amethi in the afternoon and the roadshow will begin at 1 pm. By organising a roadshow of Shah in Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s parliamentary constituency, the BJP wants to send a message to the grand old party that Amethi no longer a Congress bastion.

Today is also the last day of campaigning for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections. Polling in the fifth phase will take place on May 6 (Monday) for 51 seats which include Amethi and 13 more seats in Uttar Pradesh.

Rahul Gandhi is an outgoing MP from Amethi which he has been representing in the Lok Sabha since 2004. Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will also hold a roadshow in Amethi to seek votes for her brother Rahul Gandhi. On Friday, Priyanka led a roadshow in Raebareli from where her mother Sonia Gandhi is seeking re-election.

On Friday, Rahul wrote an emotional letter to the people of Amethi, asking them to vote for him. The Congress president also promised development of the region as soon as Congress regains power at the Centre. The letter addressed to ‘Mera Amethi Parivar’, alleged that the BJP has been setting up ‘factory of lies’ and is distributing ‘rivers of cash’ to woo the voters.

“It is my promise to the people of Amethi that the moment the Congress comes to power at the Centre, the schemes blocked by the BJP will be started. On May 6, vote in large numbers to bring back this member of the family,” Rahul said in his letter.

He added that the strength of Amethi lies in its honesty, integrity and simplicity.

Rahul is facing flak from his political opponents for not being able to devote sufficient time to Amethi. His sister Priyanka, however, has been campaigning for him in the constituency.

Rahul has won from Amethi in 2004, 2009 and 2014. In 2014, BJP’s Smriti Irani had given a tough fight, reducing the victory margin to 1.08 lakh votes from 3.50 lakh votes in 2009. This time again, BJP’s Irani is contesting against Rahul Gandhi from Amethi.

Earlier, on Friday, ‘missing’ posters of Rahul had appeared all over the constituency. However, the posters were later pulled down on the orders of the Returning Officer.