Union Minister Smriti Irani asserted that deserted streets greeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi upon his arrival in the area as part of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. She challenged him to contest from Amethi alone in the Lok Sabha elections. Both Gandhi and Irani were present in the Amethi parliamentary constituency, where Irani had defeated Gandhi in 2019. Currently, Gandhi represents Wayanad in Kerala.
Rahul Gandhi viewed Amethi as a stronghold of power but failed to deliver on his promises, hence the deserted streets welcomed him. According to Irani, Congress workers who initially greeted Gandhi did not join his yatra, prompting the party to bring in workers from Sultanpur and Pratapgarh. Amethi's former MP insulted the people of Amethi in Wayanad. Amethi was distressed due to this. Ram Lalla's invitation was rejected by him and his family. Amethi is distressed due to this also, she said, adding, I dare him (Rahul) to contest from Amethi alone in the Lok Sabha elections. Gandhi had represented Congress bastion Amethi in the Lok Sabha for 15 years before he was defeated by Irani in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress leader, however, won from Wayanad, the second seat he contested in the elections.
Irani remarked that the people of Amethi opted for change in 2019, leading to the departure of the Gandhi family from the constituency. She further stated that this trend is evident as the family has also left Raebareli ahead of the 2024 polls. Sonia Gandhi, the former Congress president and longtime representative of the Raebareli parliamentary seat, recently declared her decision not to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections citing health and age concerns.
Regarding the possibility of Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav joining the Nyay Yatra, Irani questioned why any leader would support someone who requires support themselves. She made this remark in response to Yadav's announcement that his party would refrain from participating in the Nyay Yatra until seat-sharing arrangements with the Congress in Uttar Pradesh are settled.