The desire of Maneka Gandhi to contest for the Amethi seat, once held by her late husband Sanjay Gandhi, triggered a significant rift within the Nehru-Gandhi family. Amethi, a constituency as significant as Raebareli for the Gandhis, will witness a Congress candidate not belonging to the Gandhi lineage for the first time in decades. But why did the Gandhis opt for Raebareli over Amethi?
The demise of Sanjay Gandhi in 1980 left a political vacuum for Indira Gandhi, his mother and Prime Minister at the time. Sanjay Gandhi had been her closest ally during the Emergency in the 1970s and was considered her political heir apparent. However, with his untimely death in an air accident, his Lok Sabha constituency, Amethi, was left vacant.
As Amethi was associated with Sanjay Gandhi, his wife Maneka Gandhi naturally aspired to inherit his political legacy. However, Indira Gandhi, as Prime Minister and the family's matriarch, had different plans in mind.
Maneka Gandhi, who had been seen alongside Sanjay Gandhi during numerous campaigns in the 1970s, disagreed with Indira's succession strategy. This discord between Indira and Maneka ultimately led to a bitter conflict, causing a split within the Gandhi-Nehru family over the Amethi constituency.
Amethi had become a stronghold for the Nehru-Gandhi family, with the seat being held successively by Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and then their son Rahul Gandhi.
Despite being a cherished seat for the Gandhis, with its importance rivalling that of Raebareli, the decision to field a non-Gandhi Congress candidate in Amethi for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections marks a significant departure from tradition.
So, why did the Gandhis, who fiercely contested over Amethi, suddenly choose to forego this family bastion in the upcoming election?
The nomination of loyalist Kishori Lal Sharma for Amethi is viewed as a seismic shift in policy. It signifies the absence of a Gandhi candidate in Amethi for the first time since the 1998 Lok Sabha election. Since then, both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have secured victories in Amethi, until Rahul's defeat to Smriti Irani in 2019.
Rahul Gandhi, expected to seek retribution for his 2019 loss and challenge incumbent Smriti Irani in Amethi, opted to contest from Raebareli, another Congress stronghold.
The delay in announcing candidates for the Amethi and Raebareli constituencies, which caused considerable speculation, was only resolved on the final day of nominations. The decision to field KL Sharma, a long-time associate who has served several Congress stalwarts, from Amethi came as a surprise to many.
While some viewed Rahul Gandhi's absence from Amethi as a graceful exit, others hailed it as a strategic move by the party.
Nevertheless, the Congress' decision not to field a Gandhi candidate in Amethi provides an opportunity to reflect on how the conflict over this constituency contributed to an enduring division within the Nehru-Gandhi family.
The discord within the family emerged following Sanjay Gandhi's death, culminating in Maneka Gandhi's departure from Indira Gandhi's residence with their son Varun, leading to a fracture within the family. Amethi was at the heart of this discord.
In the aftermath of Sanjay's death, Rajiv Gandhi, despite initially being content with his career as a pilot, was nominated for the Amethi by-election in 1981, effectively succeeding his brother. This move fueled Maneka's resentment and political ambitions.
Maneka Gandhi's subsequent independent candidacy against Rajiv Gandhi in the 1984 Lok Sabha elections ended in a resounding defeat, solidifying the Gandhi family's hold on the Amethi constituency.
Rajiv's wife Sonia Gandhi succeeded him in Amethi in 1999, followed by their son Rahul Gandhi in 2004. The decision to nominate KL Sharma from Amethi, breaking from the Gandhi lineage, has sparked speculation and curiosity about the motives behind this crucial decision.
Various factors, including pressure from coalition allies and internal polling data, influenced Rahul Gandhi's choice to contest from Raebareli rather than Amethi. The decision underscores the enduring impact of the conflict over Amethi, which fractured the Gandhi family and ultimately led to the abandonment of this prized seat in favor of a non-Gandhi candidate, KL Sharma.
