LUCKNOW, April 18: Congress leader Abhay Dubey on Thursday challenged BJP MP from Amethi, Smriti Irani to give five examples of work done by her in the constituency and said even a small Congress worker can defeat her in the polls.
“It seems that Smritiji is in a state of panic. Had she worked there, she would not have been afraid. The Congress had written a saga of development in Amethi,” Dubey, the Congress’ national spokesperson, told PTI Videos.
He then challenged her to give five examples of work done by her in Amethi.
Dubey, who was here, said, “We got factories of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), ordnance factory, Rail Neer, and hospitals constructed.”
The plastic waste management plant which is being talked about consists of two rooms and it does not even have an electric connection, he further alleged.
“The people of Amethi do not even want to keep you Smritiji in their smriti (memory). Even a small worker, if contests from there will defeat you,” he said responding to Irani’s dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that he has “changed his colours” and will go there after April 26.
While the BJP has announced Irani as the party candidate from Amethi, the Congress is yet to name its nominee.
Amethi will vote in the fifth phase on May 20.
Gandhi had defeated Irani in Amethi in 2014 but lost to her in the 2019 general elections.
To a question regarding an attack on three people in Bengaluru for allegedly raising ‘Jai Shree Ram’ slogans, he said Lord Ram will give sadbuddhi (good sense) to the BJP.
“Ramji had given up power and went into the jungles for 14 years to uphold the ‘vachan’ (promise) but taking his (Ram’s) name, the BJP breaks its promises every day and enjoys power,” he said.
Dubey said that at the time of voting, people will fix accountability on the basis of the work done and not on the statements issued.
On the issue of electoral bonds, he said, “The RBI in May 2017, and the Election Commission (EC) in September 2017, wrote telling (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji not to bring electoral bonds scheme as it will lead to more shell companies and black money but they did not listen to anyone as they had to do ‘chanda do dhandha lo’.”
They have been “exposed” by the Supreme Court’s decision and the BJP is “nervous” over this, Dubey said.
He also said alleged the EC is not giving time to the Congress for a meeting and its transparency is at stake. “It is a constitutional body, they have to think of upkeeping its transparency,” he added. (PTI)
