Nearly five years after they locked horns in Lok Sabha election, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and BJP's 'star leader' Smriti Irani would be visiting Amethi in Uttar Pradesh on Friday. While Rahul Gandhi, who defeated Irani in the 2014 general election, will be in Amethi on Friday and Saturday, the Union textiles minister will be participating in a series of events during her day-long trip.
The Congress chief will meet the people of his constituency, attend public and party reception, hold 'corner meetings' in Salon and visit Pareshdepur, Naseerabad, Paraiya Namaksar and Gauriganj areas on Friday.
He will also take part in the oath-taking ceremony of the Gauriganj Zila Adhivakta Sangh and inaugurate the Adhivakta Bhawan, built from the MPLAD funds.
On Saturday, he will travel to Musafirkhana tehsil, Jagdishpur and Tiloyi, where he will meet the family members of late Shiv Pratap Singh, veteran Congress leader who died last week after a prolonged illness, before reaching Lucknow for his onward journey to Delhi.
Smriti Irani, on the other hand, will attend a programme organised by Raghav Sewa Sansthan during which blankets and financial assistance will be extended to needy people and a foundation stone for a school will also be laid.
Though Irani was trounced by Rahul in 2014 election, she maintained her contact with the constituency, nurturing it and visiting it frequently.
Smriti Irani continued to cultivate Amethi during these years, dropping enough hints that she will once again contest against Rahul Gandhi in the polls.
This will be the first visit by the Congress president to his constituency after his party tasted victory in the recent Assembly elections which, many believe, has rejuvenated the party cadre as well as its leaders.
(With inputs from PTI)
