The three-time MP from Pilibhit, Varun Gandhi was denied a BJP ticket for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections of 2024. Following this, Maneka Gandhi, his mother and a party candidate from Sultanpur on Monday said that the decision to nominate someone is taken by the party.
Maneka Gandhi Said that she was neither upset nor surprised when the party did not nominate her son from the constituency. Speaking to ANI, Gandhi asserted that her son had been a good MP and that whatever he did in the future would be for the betterment of the country.
“What should I say, it’s about what the party decides. Varun has been a good MP. Whatever he will be in life, he will do good for the country,” Maneka said.
However, BJP, in place of Varun Gandhi, has nominated UP public works minister Jitin Prasada from Pilibhit who has been critical of his government on issues of alleged inflation and unemployment.
After 1989, when Maneka Gandhi, Varun’s mother, won the Lok Sabha polls in Pilibhit as a Janata Dal candidate, this will mark the first time that no member of the Gandhi family has contested from this constituency. Despite Maneka’s loss in the 1991 election, she and Varun had still collectively secured seven consecutive wins from Pilibhit. For the 2024 elections, the constituency is scheduled to vote in the first phase on April 19.
When talking about the general elections, the former union minister also took a dig at the Opposition, highlighting the contrast between BJP’s consistent engagement with voters and the parties that only become active before elections. She stated, “We are always prepared for elections and remain connected to the people throughout the five-year term. Unlike those who are inactive for four years and suddenly become active before polls.”
BJP has chosen to field Maneka from the Sultanpur seat. In response to the changing political landscape, BJP has also formed a strong alliance with parties like the RLD, SBSP, Apna Dal (S), and Nishad Party, strengthening its position.
Meanwhile, Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party has aligned with the opposition bloc, while Mayawati is contesting the elections independently. Uttar Pradesh, with its 80 MPs, will conduct elections in seven phases starting from April 19. Phases one and two will be on April 19 and April 26, followed by phases three and four on May 7 and May 13, respectively. Phases five, six, and seven will occur on May 20, May 23, and June 1. Meerut will vote on April 26 during the second phase, with the final counting of votes set for June 4.
