Rahul runs SUV over critics, files nomination with Gandhi parivar

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday filed his nomination papers for the Lok Sabha polls from Amethi.

Flanked by his mother Sonia Gandhi, sister Priyanka and her husband Robert Vadra, Rahul, who is seeking re-election for a third consecutive term from Amethi constituency, filed his nomination papers and expressed confidence of registering a "good victory".

"We will have a good victory," 43-year-old Rahul, who is pitted against Smrita Irani of BJP and Kumar Vishwas of Aam Aadmi party from this Nehru-Gandhi family pocketborough, told reporters.

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Perched atop an SUV, Rahul got a rousing reception.

The Gandhi siblings waved enthusiastically as their convoy made its way through the huge crowd that had lined the entire three km stretch to the district collectorate in Gauriganj where he filed his nomination.

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In scenes similar to the one witnessed when Sonia filed her nomination in neighbouring Rae Bareli, rose petals were showered on them as they moved in a convoy.

Rahul has held the Amethi seat since 2004.

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Trashing projections of opinion polls that his party will lose elections, Rahul recalled that Congress had been written off by the such polls in 2004 as well as 2009 but those did not prove to be correct.

"They (opinion polls) kept saying Congress will lose but you know what happened," he said, referring to his party's unexpected victories in last two Lok Sabha elections.

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Rahul along with Sonia, Priyanka and Vadra reached Amethi after conducting a roadshow through adjoining Sultanpur where his cousin Varun Gandhi is contesting on a BJP ticket.

The roadshow was conducted on a 42-km stretch between Amhart in Sultanpur and Gauriganj in Amethi which is going to polls on May 7.

The event evoked curosity as this is for the first time Rahul is organising such a political campaign from Sultanpur constituency where another Gandhi family member is fighting against a Congress candidate.

Asked if he sees a Modi wave, Gandhi said "where? In Amethi, it’s a family relationship (for me). I will have a good victory".

Replying to questions, Priyanka Gandhi said she does not feel there is any Modi wave as Congress is fighting strongly.

She also maintained she will not campaign beyond Amethi and Rae Bareli.

"No", she said when asked whether she would also campaign outside the two parliamentary constituencies represented by her mother and brother. "I do not think it is difficult. Congress is fighting. We are fighting, we will fight and we will perform well", she said when asked about Modi wave.

"We will surely win", Priyanka said when asked whether Rahul Gandhi’s victory margin will go up this time.

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Rahul Gandhi, who had recently attacked Modi over the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate not mentioning his wife’s name in his previous election affidavits, rejected the criticism that he was making any personal attack against Modi.

"I did not get personal. I just stated that he had previously not mentioned something on his affidavit. It’s not a personal thing. It’s just the fact. He did not mention something on his affidavit," he said.

Rahul said he had focused on three things for development of Amethi -- working with women's bodies, connecting the area with national highways and railways and developing food park.

"I have been working in Amethi for ten years. I feel very happy about it", he said.  

Rahul said he will continue to focus on these issues in future also and try to give a fillip to rail and road connectivity to Amethi.

"I will work with intensity to generate more employment for youths. That will be my focus", he said.