UP Congress chief Ajay Rai's claim that Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi will contest from Amethi in the 2024 general elections has triggered a flurry of reactions, with the BJP alleging that the Gandhi-Nehru family has treated the constituency as their private property. BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the Gandhis treated the people of Amethi like chewing gum and now expecting forgiveness with the “family toffee”. Union minister Smriti Irani and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.(ANI)

"Congress treated that constituency (Amethi) as their family's private property and kept chewing the people like chewing gum. Now people won't forgive them," Naqvi told ANI.

“If they think they can get ‘maafi’ for family ‘taaffee’ (toffee), it is not going to happen,” the former union minister added.

Congress leader Rashid Alvi claimed that Smriti Irani, who defeated Rahul Gandhi in his bastion in 2019, will lose her security deposit if the Wayanad MP contests from Amethi next year.

“If Rahul Gandhi contests from Amethi, Smriti Irani will even lose her security deposit. She might leave Amethi, but I request BJP not let her run away,” Alvi said.

The former parliamentarian also claimed that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi will go back to Gujarat if Priyanka Gandhi contests from Varanasi.

Congress leader Harish Rawat said Amethi is Rahul Gandhi's 'natural seat' but he will also fight from Wayanad because it supported him at the time of crisis.

The claims and counterclaims are trickling in after the newly appointed Uttar Pradesh Congress president on Friday said Rahul Gandhi will contest the coming Lok Sabha election from Amethi.

Reiterating his claim on Saturday, Rai said, “It is the demand of the Congress workers and the public there...Congress workers want to work on their shortcomings to make sure Rahul Gandhi wins from Amethi. Congress workers demand that Priyanka Gandhi be established as a strong leader. It is their (Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi) personal decision on where to contest from. We will give our best performance to ensure their win.”

When asked if he will again contest against PM Modi from Varanasi, Rai, who had unsuccessfully contested from the high-profile constituency in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, said, “I am standing in front of you. The rest is to the party high command and INDIA bloc to decide.”

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