Page 2 - Smriti Irani

LS polls highlights: Biggest allegation I have faced is owning 250 pairs of clothes, says PM Modi

From the elections in 49 LS seats to Rahul Gandhi's warning to poll officials to abide by their oath to the constitution, catch all the latest election news here

LS polls 2024 phase 5: 39.55% voter turnout recorded till 1 pm in UP

Voting for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh covering 14 Lok Sabha constituencies, which will decide the fate of five Union ministers, including Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, began on Monday morning. Voting will also take place for the assembly bypoll to Lucknow East assembly constituency. The Election Commission said voting will be held from 7 am to 6 pm. The seats going to polls in the fifth phase are Lucknow, Mohanlalganj (SC), Rae Bareli, Amethi, Jalaun (SC), Jhansi, Hamirpur, Banda, Fatehpur, Kaushambi (SC), Barabanki (SC), Faizabad, Kaisarganj and Gonda. Besides Defence Minister Singh (Lucknow) and Minister for Women and Child Development Irani (Amethi), those in the fray are Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishor (Mohanlalganj), Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti (Fatehpur) and Union Minister of State for MSME Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma (Jalaun). Rahul Gandhi is in the

LS polls Phase 5: Mumbai heads to vote today as Oppn gets renewed boost

Elections in Maharashtra state, where Mumbai is located, have been fairly predictable until 2019 with the regional Shiv Sena party dominating in alliance with the BJP

Amethi suffered in last 5 years: Priyanka Gandhi hits out at Smriti Irani

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday attacked BJP's Amethi Lok Sabha seat candidate and sitting MP Smriti Irani, alleging that the region has "suffered" in the last five years as the BJP never thought about its development. She was here to seek support for Congress' candidate from the seat Kishori Lal Sharma, who she said has "dedicated his entire life to Amethi". Priyanka Gandhi, who is a general secretary in the Congress, held a roadshow in Jasi town on the last day of campaigning for the seat that goes to polls on May 20 in the fifth round of the seven-phase general elections. "He (Sharma) has been associated with Amethi for the last 40 years. He was associated with my father (Rajiv Gandhi) here, he also worked with my mother (Sonia Gandhi) and my elder brother Rahul Gandhi. He has dedicated his entire life to Amethi," she said while addressing a gathering. During the roadshow, which began from the Jais bus stand and ended at the Navjeet Intersection, Priyanka Gandh

LS polls: In Amethi, it's still Smriti Irani vs Rahul Gandhi for many

This sentiment is echoed in most parts of Amethi, where people refer to Congress candidate Kishorilal Sharma'as Gandhi's 'doot (ambassador)'

Will win Amethi, Rae Bareli by 'big margin': Cong leader Bhupesh Baghel

BJP's Smriti Irani has carved her identity by opposing Rahul Gandhi but cannot do so in Amethi this time and will face defeat, Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel has said, exuding confidence that his party will win both the Amethi and Rae Bareli seats in Uttar Pradesh by "big margin" in the Lok Sabha polls. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, who lost Amethi to Irani in the 2019 elections, has this time been fielded by the Congress from Rae Bareli and is contesting against BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh. Gandhi family aide Kishori Lal Sharma is taking on Irani in Amethi. Both the seats have had close ties with the Gandhi family since Indira Gandhi contested and then Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have all fought the polls from either of these two constituencies, Baghel said. "They have familial ties with every household here. The decision (of fielding Rahul Gandhi from Rae Bareli) was of the high command and our leaders have already spoken about it. We are fightin

Vehicles vandalised outside Amethi Congress office, party accuses BJP

Lok Sabha Polls: Congress has fielded KL Sharma from the Amethi seat against the incumbent MP Smriti Irani. Rahul Gandhi will be contesting from Raebareli

Would want a Gandhi to contest the seat, says Cong's Amethi bet KL Sharma

Congress's Amethi candidate Kishori Lal Sharma on Friday said he would rather a Gandhi fight from the seat, but he cannot refuse the party's order which asked him to fight the election. Sharma, a close aide of the Gandhi family, has been fielded by the Congress from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat a longstanding bastion of the Gandhi family, breached in 2019. "Even today, I want the Gandhi family to contest the election from Amethi. But I consider it my duty to accept the order given by the family," Sharma told PTI at the Gauriganj Congress office here. "I have always been a 'sevak' of the Gandhi family and whatever responsibility the Gandhi family has entrusted to its sevak, I will fulfil it," he said. After days of suspense, Congress on Friday fielded Sharma, a representative of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, and before them, Rajiv Gandhi, in Amethi, as its candidate for the seat. Sharma is scheduled to visit the Collectorate later in the day and file his nomination papers before ...

LS polls: Rahul Gandhi to contest from Rae Bareli; KL Sharma from Amethi

While Rahul Gandhi will be contesting against BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh for the Bareli seat, KL Sharma will be up against Smriti Irani in Amethi

Lok Sabha elections: Smriti Irani files nomination from Amethi seat

Union minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani on Monday filed nomination papers from the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency. Irani filed her nomination papers in two sets before District Election Officer Nisha Anant. Accompanied by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and other BJP leaders, Irani held a 3-km roadshow, which started from the BJP office in Gauriganj, before filing her papers. The roadshow ended about 200 metres from the collectorate, as per the orders of the district magistrate. Uttar Pradesh minister Mayankashwar Sharan Singh and Irani's husband Zubin Irani also participated in the roadshow. Speaking to reporters after filing her nomination, Irani said, "With the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I got the opportunity to serve Amethi five years ago. I could achieve in five years what was not possible in 50 years." Attacking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who represented Amethi from 2004 to 2019, Irani said, "There was a time when due to the missing MP, the fa

LS polls: Smriti Irani files nomination from Amethi after holding roadshow

Union minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani on Monday filed nomination papers from the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency. Accompanied by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and other leaders, Irani held a road show from the BJP office in Gauriganj before filing her papers. The road show was stopped about 200 metres before the collectorate as per the orders of the district magistrate. Uttar Pradesh minister Mayankashwar Sharan Singh and Irani's husband Zubin Irani also participated in the road show. Irani had won the seat, regarded as the stronghold of the Gandhi family, by defeating Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in 2019. The Congress has not yet announced its candidate from the seat, though partymen here believe that Rahul Gandhi will contest from the seat again. Amethi is scheduled to go to polls in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha polls on May 20.

LS polls: Smriti Irani holds roadshow in Amethi before filing nomination

As part of her campaign activities, the BJP leader rode a scooter, a day before filing her nomination through various localities, greeting residents and seeking their support.

Rahul will try to create division, don't fall for it, says Irani in Amethi

Union minister and local MP Smriti Irani on Monday alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will come to Amethi after April 26 and divide the people in the name of casteism and visit one temple after the other. Addressing roadside meetings during her election campaign in Bhetua and Bhadar areas here, Irani said, "After the voting in Wayanad on April 26, Rahul Gandhi will come here to tell everyone that Amethi is his family and stoke the fire of casteism in the society here." She added, "Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party rejected the invitation for the consecration ceremony of Lord Shri Ram in Ayodhya but he will be seen roaming around the temples in Amethi. So there is a need to be careful and alert." In a major upset for the Congress in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Irani wrested Amethi from Rahul Gandhi, who had held the constituency for 15 years. The Congress has not yet declared its candidate from the seat but local party workers are rooting for Rahul Gandhi to contest again. T

Will Rahul Gandhi contest from Amethi? Here's what the Congress leader said

There has been widespread speculation that Rahul Gandhi, who has already filed his nomination from Wayanad, will also contest from Amethi

Smriti Irani accuses Rahul Gandhi of taking PFI support in Wayanad

Union minister and Amethi MP Smriti Irani Monday alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has taken the support of the banned Popular Front of India to contest the Lok Sabha election from Kerala's Wayanad seat. Referring to Gandhi, who represented Amethi in the Lok Sabha earlier, the BJP leader said the people of the constituency tolerated an MP for 15 years who did nothing for them. Irani is seeking a re-election from the seat. "We have received information that Rahul Gandhi took the support of the terrorist organisation PFI to contest the elections in Wayanad," she said. Irani also claimed that according to a charge sheet filed against the PFI, the outfit has listed the number of Hindus to be killed in every district. "Rahul Gandhi should tell the people of Amethi why he is contesting the Wayanad election with the help of such an organisation," Irani told reporters. "I was in Wayanad a few days ago and I came to know that Rahul Gandhi has declared Wayanad as his family. It is s

Election 2024: Robert Vadra to contest against Smriti Irani in Amethi?

Robert Vadra, the husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, says that the people of Amethi are not happy with sitting MP Smriti Irani

LS polls 2024: Rahul Gandhi ashamed of IUML support, says Smriti Irani

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday lashed out at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi by accusing him of being "ashamed" of party ally IUML as its flag was not shown during his roadshow in this hill district. The Union Minister for Women and Child Development, who had defeated Gandhi in Amethi in the 2019 general elections, said if he was ashamed of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), he should reject their support. She also said she was shocked that he had allegedly accepted support of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political arm of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI). "By accepting their support, he (Gandhi) has also violated the oath to the Constitution taken during the filing of the nomination," she said while speaking to reporters after the filing of BJP state chief K Surendran's nomination from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. Irani also questioned as to who the Prime Ministerial candidate of INDIA bloc was and whether Gandhi was an acceptable choice for that ...

Rahul Gandhi left Amethi, even Wayanad won't be easy: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday charged former Congress president Rahul Gandhi with having "run away from Amethi", the Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh represented by the latter until defeat at the hands of Union minister Smriti Irani. Addressing a press conference here, Prasad also alleged that Gandhi has shifted base to Wayanad "because of heavy concentration of Muslims and Christians" in the Kerala constituency, but claimed, "he is in for a tough fight there too". "Why has Rahul Gandhi run away from Amethi? He has won from there. Earlier, the seat had been represented by his father and late uncle Sanjay Gandhi. He should have had the courage to enter the fight", said the BJP leader. Notably, while the BJP has announced that Irani will be seeking re-election from Amethi, the Congress is yet to declare its candidate for the seat, fuelling speculations that Gandhi might be reluctant this time, having tasted defeat in the 2019 general elections. Prasad adde

PM Modi's decision right, says Smriti Irani defending CAA amid criticism

CM Banerjee said that CAA was linked to NRC and those who apply for CAA will immediately be considered illegal migrants, although they are citizens of the country

Defamation case against Smriti Irani: HC junks shooter Vartika Singh's plea

The Allahabad High Court has dismissed international shooter Vartika Singh's plea challenging an MP/MLA court order rejecting her defamation complaint against Union minister Smriti Irani. The Lucknow bench of the high court said that while replying to journalists' questions, if the petitioner was said to be associated with the Congress party or the "Gandhi family", it was not her defamation. The bench of Faiz Alam Khan passed the verdict on March 5 which was uploaded on Monday. Vartika Singh had filed a case in the Sultanpur MP/MLA court, accusing Irani of defamation. The case was dismissed by the special court on October 21, 2022. The petitioner had challenged the MP/MLA court's order in the high court. Singh's allegation was that when journalists asked Irani about the allegations made by the petitioner against her personal secretary, Irani described the petitioner as a "pawn" of the Congress and said she was having direct links with the Gandhi family. Quoting Irani's entire ...