It is Rahul Gandhi vs Smriti Irani in Amethi today

Amethi (UP): Union minister Smriti Irani will pay a four-day visit to her parliamentary constituency of Amethi beginning Monday, on a day Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is set to enter the Uttar Pradesh town.

Gandhi had represented Amethi in the Lok Sabha for 15 years before he was defeated by Irani in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

This will perhaps be the only second time since 2019 that the two leaders will be in Amethi at the same time. 

They had been in the town at the same time in February 2022 to attend different campaign events in the run-up to the assembly polls.

Irani's representative Vijay Gupta said the minister will be in her constituency for four days, during which she will hold interactions with residents of several villages and attend her house-warming ceremony on February 22.

Prior to her election from Amethi, she had promised the electorate that she would build a house in the town and become a resident.

According to Congress leaders, the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will reach Amethi on Monday. Gandhi will hold a road show and public meeting in Amethi town.

The possibility of the two leaders coming face to face is very low, officials in the know of their tentative schedules said.

Irani on Feb 7 attacked the Congress, saying Amethi in Uttar Pradesh lacked development during the 48 years that members of the Gandhi family represented the seat in the Lok Sabha.

In an intervention during the debate on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha, Irani said it was only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014 that the constituency saw development.

Irani, who is the minister for women and child development, had defeated Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The constituency has been represented by Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.