For the first time in decades, Amethi—a stronghold of the Congress party in Uttar Pradesh—is seeing a non-Gandhi family candidate step up for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Kishorilal Sharma, an old associate of the Gandhi family, has been selected by Congress to contest against BJP’s Smriti Irani, who currently holds the seat.
Kishorilal Sharma is not a new name in the political circles of Amethi. Having been closely linked with the Gandhis for over 40 years, Sharma started his journey alongside former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1983. Following Rajiv Gandhi's death in 1991, Sharma's involvement with the family grew deeper, often supervising the constituencies of Amethi and Rae Bareli in their absence.
Now, with the Gandhis stepping back, Sharma steps forward, expressing his gratitude to the Congress leaders for trusting him with such a significant responsibility. He is determined to continue his hard work for Amethi, a place he has dedicated four decades of his life to. Sharma has dismissed the BJP’s accusations of Rahul Gandhi fleeing Amethi due to fear of defeat, emphasizing that the move was strategic and focused on broader national challenges.
As the deadline for nominations approaches, Kishorilal Sharma, alongside Rahul Gandhi, filed his nomination, marking a significant shift in Amethi's political narrative. The polling for Amethi and Rae Bareli is set for the 20th of this month as part of the fifth phase of elections.
