Lok Sabha polls: There's no candidate against me, says Smriti Irani

Amethi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 29 (ANI): On being asked about Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's candidature from Amethi and Raebareli, Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Amethi, Smriti Irani said that she can contest against anybody only if there is a candidate against her.
"I don't have a candidate against me, I can only contest if there is a candidate against me, " she said.
Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, she said, "It is an absolute honour that BJP and the senior leaders of the party have given me the support for my candidature from Amethi. Because of the positive contribution of PM Modi towards Amethi, in the last 5 years in Amethi, 1.14 lakh homes, 4 lakh toilets, 3.5 lakh water connections were provided and 1.5 lakh families received electricity connections...There are many works that PM Modi has helped deliver to the people of Amethi..."
Earlier in the day, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani filed her nomination papers for the Amethi Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh on Monday and expressed confidence that people will bless the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the elections.
After filing her nomination, Smriti Irani expressed, "For the service of Amethi, I have filed my nomination today. In the last 5 years in Amethi, 1,14,000 houses have been built under PM Awas Yojana, 1.5 lakh families received electricity connections and over 4 lakh farmers received PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi...I am hopeful that people will bless PM Modi, BJP..."
Notably, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav was also present when Irani filed her nomination papers for the Lok Sabha polls 2024.
Amethi will vote in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 20.
Smriti Irani held a roadshow before filing her nomination papers. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister was also present.
People showered flower petals as the roadshow made its way through Amethi roads. Earlier, Smriti Irani held puja at her residence.
A day before filing her nomination papers, Irani rode a scooter to reach out to people in different localities of Amethi.
While Smriti Irani has filed her nomination papers, Congress is yet to declare its candidate from the seat amid speculations that Rahul Gandhi will be in the fray again from the seat, which is considered a traditional stronghold of Congress. Rahul Gandhi has won three Lok Sabha polls from Amethi.
Smriti Irani defeated Rahul Gandhi from Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said on Saturday that the party will release its next list of Lok Sabha candidates, including for Uttar Pradesh's pending seats, within two days.
Lok Sabha elections are being held in seven phases till June 1 and votes will be counted on June 4. (ANI)