'Why Did He Abandon Us?' Spooked by Amethi Locals' Anger, Gandhi Siblings May Skip Contest from Former Turf

“Naam nahi, kaam bolta hai” (Not one’s name but their work that speaks). It’s with these words that Rajesh Jaiswal, who runs a tea shop in Amethi, sums up the fate of the Congress in the constituency.

This pocket borough of the Gandhis is brimming with activity. The never-to-be-seen party workers of the Congress have suddenly surfaced because Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will be stepping into what was once his constituency of two terms. This is just his third visit in the last five years.

Over tea, the locals ask: “Does he look serious to you? Why did he abandon us for Wayanad? Even when he was our MP, he would rarely come and he would bring his friends from Delhi to show them around. No work was done.”

Sanjay Sinh, the Raja of Amethi who switched to the BJP from the Congress, told News18: “A lot of work has been done here. To be fair, Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi did a lot from here but Rahul Gandhi has done nothing.”

With Sonia Gandhi opting out of Lok Sabha polls, there is speculation about Amethi’s future. Apart from a cement factory, schools and hospitals have come up in Amethi. But what works in favour of Union minister Smriti Irani is the fact that she makes it a point to be in her constituency Amethi at least twice a month. Govind Singh Chauhan, political analyst and BJP supporter, says: “Gone are the days when an MP could come occasionally and get work done from Delhi. People want an MP who meets them, knows them by name and is hands-on.”

This is exactly what has hurt Rahul Gandhi in Amethi and could hurt Sonia Gandhi in Raebareli. As Congress mulls fielding Priyanka Vadra from Amethi and playing the Indira Gandhi card, there is no surety that she could win. “If not Sonia, at least Priyanka could have visited the constituency in her mother’s absence,” say locals.

There is a possibility that Congress may decide that the Gandhis should skip these two polls. A loss of face twice over for Rahul Gandhi is something the party can ill afford. Priyanka Vadra too may opt out of contesting or, like Captain Satish Sharma was once made to contest from Raebareli, this time too the party may field someone to keep the seat warm for the right time.

Tough times call for soft measures.