Varun invokes father's legacy

Firebrand BJP leader Varun Gandhi on Tuesday virtually launched his campaign from the Nehru-Gandhi turf of Sultanpur, about 135 km from here, invoking his father Sanjay Gandhi’s “emotional attachment” with the people.

“It was the dream of my father to develop this area... I am here to fulfill his dreams,” Varun said while addressing a well attended public meeting at Kadipur in the Sultanpur Lok Sabha constituency.

Varun is yet to be officially declared the party’s nominee.

Sultanpur is nestled between Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s parliamentary constituency of Raebareli and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s Lok Sabha seat of Amethi. Before being declared a separate district, Amethi was part of Sultanpur district.

“I am related to this region by blood. I am here to shoulder your (people) burden, pains and sufferings,” he said as he questioned the lack of development in the region.

“Why this region lacks development and only Amethi, Saifai, Kannauj are developing,” he asked apparently taking a dig at Samajwadi Party leaders and his cousin Rahul. Varun said that he would not like to recite the term ‘Aam Aadmi’ (a reference to the Aam Aadmi Party) as it might result in 50 thousand less votes to him in the polls. “I shall prefer to use ordinary man instead,” he added.

With Tuesday’s rally, it has become clear that Varun would be contesting the next elections from Sultanpur seat.

Sources in the state BJP said that Varun, who currently represents Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat, could shift to Sultanpur in 2014 polls.

“The people of Sultanpur have been demanding for a long time that a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family be fielded from here....their demand will be met if Varun contests from here,” said the leaders.