NEW DELHI : Robert Vadra, the businessman husband of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, responded to the BJP’s claim that the ‘Rahul (Gandhi) camp’ was ‘systematically marginalising’ them after neither of them failed to find themselves on the party’s tickets for Amethi and Raebareli, saying no force can engineer a split in the family.
Taking to his Facebook profile, Vadra affirmed that “no power, positions of politics can get between family”, adding that he will continue helping people through his public service.
“No power, positions of politics can get between our family. We all have, we will and we shall always work for the people and betterment of our great nation. Thank you to everyone for your support and best wishes. Will help as many people as I can, through my public service always,” Vadra posted on Facebook.
Earlier, on Saturday, BJP leader Amit Malviya claimed Vadra was “overlooked for the Amethi seat” despite (his) “immense popularity.”
“Spare a moment for Robert Vadra, who, despite claiming immense popularity in Amethi, was overlooked for the seat. It is obvious that Rahul Gandhi camp is systematically marginalising both, Priyanka Vadra and her husband, in the Congress. How soon before the sister rebels?” Malviya posted from his X handle.
https://x.com/amitmalviya/status/1786591223794594273
Last month, in an interview with ANI, Vadra expressed his desire to contest from Amethi, saying that the people of the constituency expect him to represent them in Parliament.
However, the Congress, on May 3, announced Rahul as a candidate from Raebareli and loyalist KL Sharma from Amethi, keeping Priyanka as well as Vadra out of the electoral contest.
Sharma is pitted against Union Minister Smriti Irani, who trounced Rahul in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The Amethi seat has been represented by Rahul since 2004, and he remained a member of Parliament from the constituency until 2019. His father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, too, was an elected member of Amethi in the Lower House from 1981 till his death in 1991.
Sonia Gandhi contested and won Amethi in 1999 before passing the baton on to Rahul in 2004. (ANI)