Rahul Gandhi gives Amethi a miss, Smriti Irani flays him for Kamal Nath remark

Battlelines were drawn in Amethi for a high-voltage face-off between Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his most vocal baiter, Union minister Smriti Irani, on Friday. But Rahul preferred to lead the Rafale attack in Parliament and give his pocket borough a miss. He cancelled his two-day Amethi visit, the schedule for which was changed thrice in a single day, indicating his priority to put the government on the mat on the Rafale issue.

Iraniquestioned Rahul’s silence over Kamal Nath government’s decision in MP to reserve 70% jobs for locals. Nath had triggered a row by saying that people from UP were eating into jobs of locals. “We are surprised by Rahul’s silence on Kamal Nath’s statement. Let him come and show his face to the people,” said Irani. “Amethi is no more a Congress stronghold as of five assembly seats, four are with BJP,” she said.