Rahul Gandhi and Smriti Irani lock horns in Amethi as voting for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections got underway today. Far from the walkover that Congress president Rahul Gandhi got in elections since 2004, the fight for this traditional Gandhi family bastion is among the key contests being watched in the ongoing polls. Bharatiya Janata Party has put all its might behind Smriti Irani who is taking on the Congress scion for the second time. Created in 1961, Amethi has always voted for the Congress except for the five years when Janata Party and BJP held it for a very brief period of time.

This isn’t the only reason Amethi is a prestige battle for the Congress. Since its formation, four members of the Nehru-Gandhi family have represented this seat — Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Yet, the BJP is confident that it could wrest this Gandhi bastion from Congress.

Lok Sabha Results 2014

Gandhis have always recorded an impressive win from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat. Rahul Gandhi has won Amethi three times — 2004, 2009 and 2014. In the first two elections, the Congress president won this seat by over 3 lakh votes with an over 65 per cent vote share. As per 2011 census, the population of Amethi is 24,46,937 – 79 per cent Hindus and 20 per cent Muslims.

The margin of victory reflects the absence of a challenger who could take on Rahul. But this sense of comfort of Congress was disrupted in the last general election by Irani who put up a tough fight against Rahul and brought down his victory margin from over three lakh to one lakh. This was the first time when Rahul Gandhi’s vote share came down under 50 per cent. The BJP, on the other hand, recorded a 28 per cent jump in its vote share. This, when Irani was announced as the BJP candidate barely three weeks ahead of the elections. It is this number that has emboldened the BJP to challenge Rahul Gandhi on his turf.

Assembly Results 2017

Amethi Lok Sabha constituency has five assembly segments: Tiloi, Salon, Jagdishpur, Gauriganj and Amethi. Despite representing Amethi for 15 years, Rahul Gandhi could not win a single assembly seat for the Congress in 2017. The BJP won four — Tiloi, Salon, Jagdishpur and Amethi — of five assembly segments under Amethi. Gauriganj went to the Samajwadi Party that contested the assembly election with Congress. This reflects a change on the ground and if the BJP repeats 2017, it could end up sweeping Amethi.

Rahul Gandhi Goes To Wayanad

For the first time in his political career, Rahul Gandhi is contesting from two seats — Amethi and Wayanad. If he wins both the seats, he will have to vacate one seat. And the buzz around in his current constituency is that it would be Amethi that Rahul would leave to retain Wayanad. But who would be the next after Rahul leaves Amethi? The people of Amethi are clueless about the Congress party’s next move. It is this state of confusion that may harm the grand old party especially when the other side has deployed a full-time union minister to provide an alternative. The Congress has defended Rahul’s Wayanad move saying it is to connect South India with the Centre. However, the saffron party has succeeded in building a different narrative that Rahul Gandhi dumped the people of Amethi and fled to a safer seat out of fear of loss. If the BJP succeeds in its narrative on the ballot box then the results for the Congress could be surprising.

Development Projects in Amethi

One of the BJP’s prominent attacks against the Congress is that it did not do enough for development in Amethi despite ruling it for decades. It claims that even the basic amenities such as water and roads are missing from the ground. In the last five years, the Centre has launched many schemes for Amethi. Among the major projects that Smriti Irani brought to Amethi are: a 200-bed medical hospital in Jamo block, a TB unit at the district hospital, dam for stopping the cutting of Gomati River in Haliyapur & Pipri, Central School in Gauriganj, a military school in Amethi, Soil testing laboratory and Krishi Vijnan Kendra. In March this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a manufacturing facility to produce the most-advanced rifle — Kalashnikov. This project was stuck for years.

Challenged by BJP, Congress leader Sushmita Dev recently listed some of the major works done by Gandhi in Amethi. National Aviation University, 200-bed hospital, institute of hotel management, Sainik school, Amethi-Unchahar Rail line, and four-lane NH 56 are some of the Congress’ major project in Amethi. On the other hand, the Congress president has blamed the BJP for creating hurdles towards the development of Amethi.

With the prestige of both candidates as well the biggest national parties of India at stake from Amethi, it is one contest that will be closely watched when the Lok Sabha election results are declared on May 23.