Priyanka Gandhi counters Amit Shah, lists several projects after latter's "absent from Raebareli" jibe

Raebareli (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 12 (ANI): Countering Union Home Minister Amit Shah's allegations of Gandhi family "ignoring constituency", Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday listed several projects completed by the Congress, including the rail coach factory and AIIMS in Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli, while asking BJP's contributions in Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli.
"I have come here (Raebareli) many times. Does he keep a list of my movements? He should note how often I have come here," Priyanka said while speaking to ANI on Sunday in Raebareli.
Priyanka further listed out the work done by the Congress party in the constituency and counter-questioned the Union Home Minister regarding BJP's initiatives in Raebareli.
"I want to ask Home Minister Amit Shah, what has BJP done for Raebareli? Congress gave Ganga bridge, a rail coach factory, AIIMS, NIFT, FDDI, a 4-lane from Lucknow to Raebareli, ring road, five National Highways, we opened a motor driving school, they closed it, we opened spice park, they closed it, we started AIIMS, they closed it, 8 flyovers, help through MPLADS during Covid pandemic, railway washing line, modification of railway stations, 10 railway underpass, road construction using central funds from Raebareli to Dalmau among others. What did they do for Raebareli," the Congress leader said.
Earlier in the day, addressing a public meeting in Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli, Union Home Minister Amit Shah attacked Congress leaders accusing them of "ignoring the constituency" after winning the seat in the previous elections.
"Priyanka Gandhi said in her speech that I am here to seek votes from my family. I want to ask her 5 questions today. After winning, how many times did Sonia Gandhi and her family come to see you? Sonia Gandhi usually has health issues but what about Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi? There have been several unfortunate incidents in the constituency in the past few years but did the Gandhi family ever turn up?" Shah asked.
"Shehzada is asking for votes here. You all have been voting for them all these years but did you get something from the MP's fund? But she has spent all the funds. If you didn't get it, where has it gone? It has gone to their 'vote bank' and you people are not her vote bank. Sonia Gandhi said they spent more than 70 per cent of funds on minorities," the BJP leader added.
Raebareli constituency goes to the polls on May 20 in the fifth phase. In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi won the constituency, bagging 5,34,918 votes. Her closest rival, Dinesh Pratap Singh, put up a formidable challenge, gathering 3,67,740 votes.
Before Sonia, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had won Raebareli thrice. The constituency also elected Indira's husband and Congress leader Feroze Gandhi twice, in 1952 and 1957.
Rahul Gandhi is a sitting MP in Kerala's Wayanad, where he is seeking a fresh term alongside Raebareli. Rahul represented Amethi from 2004 until 2019. He will face Congress defector and three-time MLC Dinesh Pratap Singh of BJP in Raebareli. (ANI)