Soon after the BJP released its first list of candidates on 21 March, the focus shifted to the Amethi constituency in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP declared that they will field Union Minister Smriti Irani against Congress President Rahul Gandhi in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
While the high-voltage political campaigning is underway, Irani took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi and East Uttar Pradesh General Secretary of Congress Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in a veiled attack.
In an interview to a news channel, the Union minister was asked about her thoughts on Priyanka's appointment as East UP's general secretary and her competition with the latter, when she said, "My husband is not a land thief... I am from an ordinary family, not from a royal lineage, so, how are you comparing both of us?"
"And by god's grace, my brother is also not bewakoof (stupid)," she added.
Irani had lost to Gandhi in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls but was seen to have put up a spirited fight.
The Congress has earlier announced the candidature of Gandhi from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. In 2014, Gandhi (4,08,651 votes) defeated Irani (3,00,748) by 1,07,903 votes.
(With inputs from PTI)
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