Smriti Irani, husband perform 'Griha Pravesh' at their new home in Amethi ahead of Lok Sabha elections

Union Minister Smriti Irani and her husband, Zubin Irani, performed the 'Griha Pravesh' ritual at their new home in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. They were led by priest Ashish Maharaj from Ujjain.

In 2019, Irani had promised that she would build a permanent house in Amethi after she was contesting against Rahul Gandhi. 

The property, located in the village of Mawai in Gauriganj Tehsil, was purchased in 2021. In February 2021, she bought a plot of 15,000 square feet of land in the Gauriganj area.

Smriti Irani, who contested elections in Amethi for the first time in 2014, was unsuccessful, but emerged victorious against Rahul Gandhi in 2019. Both leaders have recently revisited the constituency ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Earlier this week, Smriti Irani dared Rahul Gandhi to contest against her from Amethi in the upcoming polls. She claimed that the Congress had to call workers from Sultanpur and Pratapgarh when Gandhi arrived in Amethi as part of his yatra. 

"Rahul Gandhi considered Amethi as the centre of power but did not provide service. That is why he was welcomed by the deserted streets of Amethi. Congress workers who welcomed Rahul Gandhi did not participate in his yatra due to which the Congress had to call workers from Sultanpur and Pratapgarh," she said. 

Irani conducted a Jan Samwad, while Gandhi embarked on his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Amethi, once a Congress stronghold, shifted allegiance in 2019 with Rahul's defeat to Smriti Irani.

Before Irani's resounding win, Amethi was a Gandhi family bastion since 1967. The constituency has almost always voted either for the Nehru-Gandhi family or a loyalist. 

Sanjay Gandhi won the Amethi seat in 1980. Following his death, Rajiv Gandhi won the Amethi bypoll in 1981 and represented the seat till his death in 1991.

His wife and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi became the MP from Amethi in 1999, after which her so Rahul Gandhi took over in 2004 and represented the constituency in 2019. 

Despite the Congress's historical prominence, its electoral prospects in the state have dwindled. Sonia Gandhi, who represented Rae Bareli, has announced her decision not to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls due to health and age-related concerns.

Also Read: Lok Sabha elections 2024: AAP may fight on 4 seats, Congress to likely contest on 3 seats, say sources