LS polls: Adityanath to canvass for Irani in Amethi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be campaigning in favour of Union minister and BJP nominee for Amethi Lok Sabha seat Smriti Irani on Tuesday.

Sub-District Magistrate, Gauriganj, Amit Kumar told PTI Monday that the chief minister will address a public meeting organised by the BJP at Maurya Ki Bag under Jagdishpur assembly segment here Tuesday.

Adityanath had attended the nomination procession of Irani but left Amethi soon after.

Irani had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Amethi against Congress president Rahul Gandhi. This time she is again pitted against the Congress president.

Amethi has traditionally been a Congress bastion. Barring 1977 and 1998, it has always elected a Congress candidate.

In 1977, Janata Party candidate Ravindra Pratap Singh had defeated Sanjay Gandhi, son of then prime minister Indira Gandhi. However, he won the seat back in 1980.

In 1998, BJP nominee and scion of Amethi royal estate Sanjay Singh had defeated Congress candidate and former Union minister Captain Satish Sharma.

Later Singh joined the Congress and is contesting the ongoing Lok Sabha polls from Sultanpur as its candidate.

Amethi will go to polls on May 6.