Smriti Irani's Man Friday in Amethi joins Congress party

Union Minister Smriti Irani's 'Man Friday' Ravi Dutt Mishra, at whose house she used to stay whenever she visited her constituency, joined the Congress party on Thursday.

It is said that Mishra had brought BJP leader Smriti Irani to Amethi. "Irani used to stay at Mishra's house whenever she visited Amethi," said a Congress leader. Mishra was also a minister in the earlier state government of Samajwadi Party (SP).

Mishra's joining Congress party comes at a time when its president Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary and in-charge for the party's east UP affairs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are on tour of Amethi.

Congress president Rahul is contesting from two seats - Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, and Wayanad in Kerala.

Amethi is considered to be a stronghold of the Congress party. Rahul had retained this seat in the 2014 General Elections defeating BJP candidate Smriti Irani, whom the saffron party has repeated this time too.

Rahul and Smriti have filed their nominations from the seat. Amethi will go to polls on May 6, the sixth phase of seven-phased Lok Sabah elections to be held from April 11 to May 19. Results will be declared on May 23.