Lok Sabha polls: Smriti Irani alleges booth capturing in Amethi, Congress dismisses it as ‘excuse’

Bharatiya Janata Party’s Amethi Lok Sabha candidate Smriti Irani on Monday alleged that Congress workers were capturing booths in her constituency. Polling in Amethi and 50 other constituencies are currently under way in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

Irani shared a video of an old woman at a booth in Gujar Tola area of Gauriganj alleging that she was forced to vote for the Congress. Alerting the Election Commission’s Twitter account, she said, “Congress President Rahul Gandhi ensuring booth capturing.”

“Hope they take action,” Irani told media. “People of the country have to decide whether this kind of politics of Rahul Gandhi should be punished or



not.”

Gandhi is the Congress’ candidate in Amethi. In 2014, Gandhi had defeated BJP’s Smriti Irani by over 1 lakh votes. Bahujan Samaj Party candidate Dharmendra Pratap Singh had finished third. This time, it is a direct contest between Rahul Gandhi and Smriti Irani.

The Congress, however, dismissed Irani’s allegations and said the BJP candidate is “looking for excuses” to justify her defeat.

“It now is more than clear that she has lost,” Congress spokesperson Zeeshan Haider told media. “Now, she is looking for excuses. If Rahul Gandhi ji is capturing booths, and capturing votes, then what is the Election Commission doing that has been working in a biased manner in favour of Modi and Amit Shah?”