Modi's attack on Rajiv 2014 'redux', may impact Amethi

Prime minister Narendra Modi's attack on former PM Rajiv Gandhi at an election rally in UP on Saturday was a redux of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Congress, whose star campaigner and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi has hit back at Modi over his remarks, thinks that they will have an ''impact'' on the electorate in Amethi LS constituency, which goes to polls on Monday.

''The prime minister, who insults the martyrdom of the jawans by seeking votes in their names, yesterday insulted a noble person (Rajiv Gandhi)....the people of Amethi for whom Rajiv Gandhi laid down his life, will give a befitting reply,'' Priyanka tweeted on Sunday.

''Modi's remarks on Rajivji will not go down well with the electorate of Amethi, who still remember the former PM,'' said a senior UP Congress leader here.

Modi said that Rajiv Gandhi, who started his political career as 'Mr. Clean' died as ''bhrashtachari (corrupt) number one'' apparently referring to the Bofors controversy.

During the 2014 LS polls also, Modi, who was then BJP's prime ministerial candidate, while addressing an election rally at Amethi had attacked Rajiv Gandhi.

Modi had then claimed that Rajiv Gandhi, when the latter was an office bearer of the Congress party, had ''insulted'' the then Andhra Pradesh chief minister T.Anjaiah at an airport. Modi had also said that Rajiv was an ''arrogant'' person.

Priyanka had then also reacted sharply and asked the electorate of Amethi to ''teach a lesson'' to BJP.

Union minister Smriti Irani, who was then alos in the fray against Congress president Rahul Gandhi from Amethi, had lost by over one lakh votes.