Congress' Amethi Candidate Blames "Lack Of Monitoring" For Rahul Gandhi's 2019 Loss, Says Priyanka Vadra Asked Him To Contest

Congress' Amethi candidate Kishori Lal Sharma pinned the blame for Rahul Gandhi's defeat in the constituency against BJP's Smriti Irani in 2019 on "a separate team."

In an interview with The Indian Express, Sharma said, "There was a lack of monitoring in that election. Workers told me that there was no one to ask them where they were going or what they were doing."

He also clarified that he was not part of the team in Amethi in 2019, but "was managing elections" in Rae Bareli. "There was a separate team working here, which is not there now," he explained.

Sharma also revealed that it was Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who asked him to contest the elections by saying, "Kishori ji aapne humare parivar ko bahut saare election ladwaye hain, ek election humko bhi apko ladana hai."

This can be translated as, "Kishori ji, you have helped our family contest many elections. Now we want you to contest the election." The request was accepted by Sharma.

He described his political journey from managing "one and a half booths, to managing the election of one Vidhan Sabha to three Vidhan Sabha. Then one Lok Sabha to two Lok Sabha and then to contesting elections."

Sharma claimed that incumbent BJP MP Smriti Irani is "no challenge here" and showed faith in the campaigning by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra for him before the polling on 20 May.