'Robert Vadra overlooked': BJP claims ‘Rahul Gandhi camp’ blocked his Amethi plan

Rae Bareli: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra with her husband Robert Vadra and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot.

A day after Kishori Lal Sharma filed nomination from Amethi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying the latter’s “camp” has marginalised his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and brother-in-law Robert Vadra.

BJP leader Amit Malviya said the “Rahul Gandhi camp” overlooked Robert Vadra for the Amethi seat, even after the latter claimed he was popular in the UP city.

Malviya said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could rebel against the Congress leadership soon.

“Spare a moment for Robert Vadra, who, despite claiming immense popularity in Amethi, was overlooked for the seat. It is obvious that the Rahul Gandhi camp is systematically marginalising both, Priyanka Vadra and her husband, in the Congress. How soon before the sister rebels?” he wrote on X on Saturday morning.

Last month, Robert Vadra had claimed that he was popular in Amethi. He had said the nation wants him to be in active politics.

“As far as my role in active politics is concerned, people have always strengthened me when I have worked for them…The country wants me to be in active politics. If the Congress party feels that I can bring a change, I will come into active politics. It is not necessary that I will contest from Amethi, I can also contest from Moradabad and Haryana ” news agency ANI quoted Vadra as saying.

Robert Vadra’s remark had triggered speculation he wanted to contest the Lok Sabha from Amethi, the Congress party’s former stronghold.

Rahul Gandhi represented Amethi thrice in the Lok Sabha. However, he lost the seat to BJP’s Smriti Irani in 2019.

Rahul Gandhi has filed his nomination papers from Rae Bareli, another Congress bastion, which was vacated by his mother Sonia Gandhi earlier this year.

Former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam claimed a conspiracy was being hatched against Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

“Rahul Gandhi should have contested from Varanasi against PM Modi if he did not want to contest from Amethi,” he told ANI.

After Sonia Gandhi vacated the seat, it was speculated that Priyanka Gandhi would contest from Rae Bareli.

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