Varun's show of strength in Gandhi bastion

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Varun Gandhi Tuesday struck an emotional chord with the people of Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh and said he had come to the district to complete the unfinished tasks of his late father Sanjay Gandhi.

Addressing an impressive gathering here, the BJP leader who is currently an MP from Pilibhit, assured the people that if he is elected from the constituency he would ensure that the path of development opened for the area.

Recalling how he had last come to Sultanpur when he was in his mother Maneka Gandhi's lap, Varun said he now came here at the indication of God to take up the dreams his father had for the area.

The 33-year-old also slammed the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) for developing family bastions while doing nothing for other under-developed areas in Uttar Pradesh.

"I come here as a son for this constituency and would do all that it takes to bring it on the path of development," he said.

Varun also narrated how his late father had started his political journey from this very ground where he was addressing the rally.

He pointed out that despite the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and SP governments in the state, he ensured his present constituency, Pilibhit, developed. "I have visited all the villages in my area at least three times," he said.

After staking his claim to this pocket borough of the Gandhis, Varun is likely to be given the BJP ticket to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls from here.

If this happens, he would be contesting from Sultanpur which borders Rae Bareli and Amethi from where his estranged aunt Sonia Gandhi and cousin Rahul would be the likely Congress candidates.