Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Smriti Irani Reveals Why She Is Confident Of Second Term From Amethi

Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani has been seeking a second term from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat where she emerged as a giant killer in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Irani defeated Rahul Gandhi from the seat, a stronghold of the Gandhi family. The Congress party has so far not fielded any candidate for the seat and that has led to criticism from Irani as well. Irani claimed that Congress is afraid of defeat and thus delaying its candidate announcement from the seat. Now, in a recent interview, Irani presented her report card revealing that she is confident of securing a second term from the seat.

Irani's Amethi Report Card

Irani said that in the last five years, Amethi has undergone various transformations that include development works like PM Awas Yojana and the provision of toilets as well. "After Modi became Prime Minister, the first government medical college is under construction in Amethi. The 400th seat for the BJP will come from Amethi. I am saying this and there is no arrogance behind this claim. In the last five years, as an MP, we have built houses of one lakh nine thousand people in Amethi. Four lakh toilets have been built there in the last five years. Around 3 lakh 80 thousand houses have got tap water for the first time. There wasn't an office of collector there. We got it built and Amit Shah inaugurated the office. There was no police line. The first blood bank, first dialysis centre, and first CT scan machine came in the last five years," said Irani, adding that 18 lakh houses get free ration under PM Modi. She said that 13,746 sisters of Amethi have created a new identity as Lakhpati Didi by joining SHGs.

Irani Accuses Rahul Of Land-Grabbing

She also accused Rahul Gandhi and Congress of looting public land in Amethi. "They run such foundations that have seized lands in Amethi. You cannot play the victim while encroaching upon the public property. Rahul Gandhi had taken government land in Amethi 30 years ago for just Rs 600 on lease on the pretext of making a hospital. Then he built a guest house on the land and did not return the land to the government," she alleged.

Irani further alleged that Congress got Samrat Cycles to take land in Amethi for establishing a factory and then the firm declared bankruptcy overnight while donating the commercial land to their (Congress) foundation.