Lok Sabha polls: Why the BJP has dumped the other 'Gandhi'-Varun?

The exclusion of Varun Gandhi, son of Sanjay Gandhi, from the list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, announced by the BJP on Sunday, 24 March comes as no surprise, given Varun’s history of defiance towards PM Modi and his party on various issues.

However, the decision has still raised eyebrows among many.

Varun Gandhi, the Pilibhit MP once hailed as a firebrand leader within the saffron camp, finds himself sidelined by the BJP.

The question arises: why?

To unravel this, one must delve into the defiance exhibited by another Gandhi---Varun. It was Varun Gandhi who openly criticised his own government for its treatment of farmers under the Modi administration. He referred to them as “our own flesh and blood” and stressed the importance of "re-engaging with them in a respectful manner".

Undoubtedly, Varun's stance has irked the BJP high command, namely Modi and Shah.

Once again, it was Varun Gandhi who launched a scathing attack on a minister within his own party without holding back. When the son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni, Ashish Mishra, allegedly mowed down protesting farmers in broad daylight during the year-long protests, Varun Gandhi did not hesitate to confront his own government. He not only shared the video footage but also condemned the incident as 'murder'.

This bold move by Varun Gandhi, targeting Teni, who is known to be very close to Amit Shah and serves in the Ministry of Home Affairs responsible for maintaining law and order in the country, was perceived as an act of rebellion against Shah.

Varun Gandhi refused to succumb to pressure or hold back, despite the potential implications for his political career. While Rahul Gandhi brought the issue of rising unemployment to the forefront of political discourse, it was Varun Gandhi who, in defiance of his own party, took aim at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh.

In November 2023, he boldly stated, “There are one crore posts vacant in various departments across the country but they are not being filled deliberately.”

Furthermore, when the Yogi government suspended the license of a hospital named after his father, the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Amethi, Varun wasted no time in stepping forward to defend it. He openly criticised the Yogi government for its actions.

Varun Gandhi derided the Modi government's highly promoted Agnipath scheme. Despite being a BJP MP, he championed issues aligned with Rahul Gandhi and the Congress. This bold stance showcased his independent political commitment, regardless of saffron-party line. He paid the price.

Taking a bold stance on the issue of paper leaks, Varun Gandhi fearlessly confronted his own party's shortcomings in providing an adequate number of government jobs to the youth of India. He questioned the sustainability of the youth's patience, emphasizing the urgent need for action.

In a tweet, Gandhi said, "First, there is no government job, yet if some chance comes, the paper gets leaked, if you give the exam, you don't have the result for years, then the exams get cancelled in some scam. About 1.25 crore youth of Railway Group D are waiting for the results for two years. The same is true of recruitment in the army. For how long the youth of India would show patience?"

The decision to exclude Varun from the BJP's candidate list is viewed by many as a potential boon for opposition parties. Varun's robust presence in his constituency and unmatched popularity among Pilibhit's voters make him a formidable political figure. In a recent ABP opinion poll, over 72 per cent of respondents expressed satisfaction with Varun as their MP.

Notably, former Congress leader Jitin Prasada, who joined the BJP in 2021, and was considered close to Rahul Gandhi, replaces Varun Gandhi from Pilibhit. His mother, Maneka Gandhi, has been fielded from Sultanpur again.

If leveraged effectively, Varun could emerge as an invaluable asset for the opposition. He has, even the potential to sway seats like Raebareli and Amethi towards the Congress, believe many.