'Peon nominee': BJP's swipe at RaGa's Amethi candidacy

• BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh mocks Rahul Gandhi for nominating a local candidate in Amethi
• Singh questions Gandhi's commitment to Amethi, citing his absence from the constituency
• KL Sharma, a confidant of the Gandhi family, to contest against Smriti Irani in Amethi

In a sharp jibe, BJP leader Dinesh Pratap Singh criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for fielding Kishori Lal Sharma, whom he referred to as Gandhi's "peon," to contest against BJP's Smriti Irani in Amethi for the Lok Sabha elections.

“Does Rahul Gandhi really want to win Amethi and Raebareli? If he really wanted to win Amethi, why would he give a Lok Sabha ticket to his peon from Amethi? Rahul Gandhi will lose both Raebareli and Amethi seats…He (Rahul Gandhi) has run away from Amethi, and I believe he will not ask for votes. There is Smriti Irani, who, just like a family, gave love and respect to Amethi,” said Singh, BJP's candidate from Rae Bareli.

KL Sharma, a trusted aide of the Gandhi family, will face off against Union Minister Smriti Irani in Amethi, setting the stage for a high-stakes electoral battle.

Singh, who is contesting against Rahul Gandhi in Rae Bareli, also took a dig at Sonia Gandhi, saying that she left Rae Bareli 'out of fear'. “Sonia Gandhi left Raebareli in fear that if she loses, she will have to leave the 'das Janpath'. He (Rahul Gandhi) came, filed a nomination and left for Delhi. Dinesh Pratap Singh, after filing his nomination, started moving in the streets of the villages of Raebareli,” he said.

Both Amethi and Rae Bareli are scheduled to cast their votes in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha polls on May 20th, with the results set to be announced on June 4th.