Had ensured that MP from Amethi would be chosen from our party: Smriti Irani to WION

After her historic victory in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, former Union Minister Smriti Irani spoke to WION's Editor in Chief Sudhir Chaudhary discussing her five-year plan that made inroads for the BJP in the Congress bastion.

WION: This was your second fight from the Amethi constituency. Did you ever think of defeating Gandhi from his bastion?

Smriti Irani:  Amethi has voted for development. Under Narendra Modi's guidance and Yogi Adityanath's help, we were able to perform work in the constituency. The issue of the election was development. I had said during the election campaign that the fight was not against Smriti Irani and Rahul Gandhi, but instead, it was people's fight for their rights, for the developments of their families. People of the country are never going to lose any election if they decide to fight for their rights.

WION: When did you first realise that you can beat Rahul Gandhi and your situation at the ground was stronger than him?

Smriti Irani: I was working for the past five years for BJP's victory and not for Gandhi's defeat. And this would have been possible only if people would give their blessings and support to BJP. It was possible only after we talked to every family. This was possible only after services from BJP's central and state government reached every single person in the constituency.

In the last five years, I categorically said and ensured that whosoever gets the ticket from BJP, but the MP from Amethi will be chosen from our party.
Our sole aim was the victory of a BJP candidate in Amethi.

WION: Did you ever feel that the fight in Amethi has become personal between Smriti Irani and Rahul Gandhi or Gandhi family and not between BJP and Congress? Is there any personal rivalry between you and Rahul Gandhi?

Smriti Irani: There is no rivalry between us, rivalry exists among people with the same stature. As a party worker, I feel proud that my party has scripted a political and social history so that the people rose above caste and religious discrimination and voted for positive development.