Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra indicates keenness to contest LS polls

Spelling out his interest to contest the Lok Sabha polls, Robert Vadra, businessman and husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, has said that he gets to meet MPs from other political parties who make him offer to join their parties and also assure that they will ensure his victory in the election. 

In an interview with ANI, Vadra also said that the people of Amethi expect him to represent their constituency if he thinks of becoming a member of Parliament. Vadra said he wants Priyanka Gandhi, who is Congress general secretary, should become MP first and he can follow her. 

"I always wanted Priyanka (Gandhi) should become an MP first and she reaches parliament, and then I feel, I can also come. I feel that I should become (MP) with my hard work, with blessings of Sonia Gandhi and Congress party," he said.

"I will also say that because for so much time, I have been meeting people and there are MPs from other parties, when I meet them, they speak with me with love also and say come (to parliament) from our party and why are you taking so long and we will ensure that you win with a huge margin," he added. 

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While stating his ambitions to be an MP, Vadra also talked of the leaders he meets understating "the troubles" he faces "every day".Vadra indicated that he will join active politics "at the right time".

"It is not that from different places in the country, there are invites, it is also coming from different parties that you come from our side and we will support you because I have friendships with several people beyond party lines, they see my hard work, understand it, and the trouble I face every day, they understand it...They feel that if you are in Parliament then the replies you give, you will be able to give on a big platform, and the work you are doing can be done on a large scale if you are in parliament. There are several invites, there is pressure and my thinking is to work harder and stay among people and I will take part definitely at the right time," Vadra targeted Union Minister Smriti Irani, who represents Amethi, saying she does not visit the constituency frequently and people feel they made a mistake by electing her.

Smriti Irani defeated Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Amethi, a Nehru-Gandhi family stronghold, in one of the biggest upsets of the polls.

Vadra, who has indicated his electoral ambitions earlier too, said the Gandhi family has worked hard in Amethi and surrounding areas."They want a member of the Gandhi family return, they will make him the person's victory with a huge margin, they also expect that if I take my first step in politics, and think of becoming an MP, then I should represent Amethi," he said.Vadra said that the decision on Amethi and Rae Bareli will be taken by the Congress leadership. "I'm not saying that I will contest from Amethi or Priyanka will contest from Rae Bareli. The decision will taken by the Congress party," he said.

Vadra said he joined hands with Priyanka Gandhi for Congress campaign in Amethi in the 1999 Lok Sabha polls."That time politics was very different, fear was sought to be created among people. We use to visit sensitive areas at night, put up posters, distributed bags, worked hard with our workers day and night and gave them trust that we are there and they should keep working in their areas and booths. They know how we hard we worked and there was brotherhood and love, which is still there," he said."

The people with whom I worked...outside my office, residence...they send message through social media, they cut cake on my birthday, arrange langar or other service for people because they know I like this. People in the country see that I stay among people, work hard as much as possible for the disabled and blind children and spend all n charity. I visit on religious tour and they celebrate my birthday and celebrate festivals in my name and distribute among people there," he added.Vadra was asked if he could be a candidate from Amethi.He said the person who represents Amethi should talk about the welfare of the people of the constituency, their well-being, and security and should not indulge in politics of discrimination.

He said the people of the constituency are very upset with the present MP from the seat."They feel they made a mistake as I think she does not visit the seat frequently, she does not think of the progress of the constituency, she thinks how to make baseless allegations, raise questions on the Gandhi family and create noise and misuse her position," he alleged."Gandhi family has for years worked hard in Amethi, Rae Bareli, Sultanpur, Jagdishpur...there was a lot of progress. When the people of Amethi feel that they made a mistake and voted for Smriti and Rahul had from there.....whatever, he had to go to another constituency or whatever..., I feel they want that a member of Gandhi family comes back, they will ensure win with a huge majority," he said. 

Congress has not yet named its candidates for Amethi and Rae Bareli seats in Uttar Pradesh, where it is contesting the Lok Sabha polls in alliance with Samajwadi Party. Rahul Gandhi won the last Lok Sabha polls from Wayanad in Kerala and is recontesting from the seat.The Congress election committee in Uttar Pradesh had last month "unanimously recommended" that members of the Gandhi family should contest from Amethi and Raebareli Lok Sabha constituencies. 

Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi has been representing Rae Bareli since 2004. She has now been elected to Rajya Sabha.Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1.