LS polls 2024 : Maneka Gandhi eyes bigger victory margin in UP's Sultanpur

Seeking a second term from Sultanpur, BJP leader Maneka Gandhi on Sunday said her focus is on local issues and asserted that her victory margin will be bigger this time.

However, the former Union minister refused to comment on the BJP denying poll ticket to her son Varun Gandhi from Pilibhit

Varun, she said, will soon campaign for her in Sultanpur.

In an interview to PTI, the eight-time MP said she is only concerned about the problems of her constituency and does not wish to comment on the BJP's call to wipe out the Congress from Rae Bareli.

"I have no comments to make...I am concerned about problems of my own constituency and people here", she told PTI when asked about the BJP's promise to wipe out the Gandhi family from Rae Bareli.

Amethi and Rae Bareli are in close proximity to the district. While Rahul Gandhi is contesting from Rae Bareli this time, Gandhi family loyalist K L Sharma is pitted against Smriti Irani in Amethi.

Maneka Gandhi, who had won from Sultanpur in 2019 by a margin of 14,000 votes, said, "This time my victory margin will be bigger".

She also said that people of her constituency are happy over coming up of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya but "it is not an issue in the polls here."

The BJP leader is pitted against SP's Ram Bhual Nishad, while the BSP has fielded Udraj Verma, an OBC.

Asked if she is expecting a ministerial berth if the BJP forms the government again, she said, "It is not in my hands. It is the prerogative of the PM."

The BJP is confident of gaining from around two lakh voters of Nishad (fishermen community) with its leader Sanjay Nishad a minister in Uttar Pradesh.

Sultanpur will go to polls in the sixth phase on May 25.