In a dramatic turn of events, the electoral landscape of Amethi, once considered the impregnable bastion of the Indian National Congress and the Gandhi family, finds itself at the centre of a fiercely contested battle. The seismic shift began in 2019 when Smriti Irani, the candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), delivered a resounding blow to the entrenched dominance of the Gandhis by clinching victory against Rahul Gandhi. This historic upset shattered long-standing political conventions and ignited a new era of electoral competitiveness in the region. As the nation finds itself amidst another round of Lok Sabha elections, all eyes are once again fixed on Amethi, where the enduring legacy of political dynasties collides head-on with the winds of change.
Rajiv Gandhi's legacy at Amathi
The then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, stepping into the political shoes of his late brother Sanjay Gandhi, held a revered status among the people of Amethi. Throughout his tenure, he proved to be an indomitable force in the electoral arena, maintaining a stronghold over the constituency. From 1981 until his tragic demise in 1991, Rajiv Gandhi served as the Member of Parliament for Amethi. Even in the final election before his assassination, he secured almost 54 per cent of the votes, leaving his closest competitor far behind with a mere 22 per cent. Amethi, where Gandhi embarked on his political journey, remained its steadfast companion until the very end, witnessing his victory in four consecutive elections.
1991 Lok Sabha polls and Rajiv Gandhi's assassination
During the 1991 general elections, a fierce competition unfolded between Rajiv Gandhi of the Congress party and Ravindra Pratap Singh of the BJP on May 20. Tragically, on May 21, during an election rally in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, Rajiv Gandhi fell victim to an LTTE suicide bomber. Despite this devastating turn of events, when the votes were tallied, Rajiv Gandhi emerged victorious with 53.23 per cent of the votes, while Ravindra Pratap Singh garnered 21.35 per cent. Rajiv Gandhi's victory margin stood at an impressive 1,12,085 votes.
Bypoll in Amethi after Rajiv Gandhi's death
After the unfortunate demise of Rajiv Gandhi, a bypoll was necessitated in the Amethi constituency. In this bypoll, the Congress party fielded Satish Sharma against BJP's MM Singh. Following the electoral process, Sharma emerged victorious with 53.88 per cent of the votes, while Singh secured 24 per cent. Sharma received a total of 178,996 votes, while Singh garnered 79,687 votes. Additionally, independent candidate R Singh managed to accumulate 47,033 votes.
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