New Delhi:

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Varun Gandhi – who was not selected to defend his Lok Sabha seat in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh – wrote to the people of his soon-to-be former constituency saying, “While my tenure is coming to an end… …My relationship (with you) does not end until my last breath.”

Mr Gandhi also said he considered himself lucky to have had the opportunity to “serve the great people of Pilibhit”, whose “ideals, simplicity and kindness… contributed greatly to my growth and development”. “It has been the greatest honor of my life to represent you and I have always tried my best to safeguard your interests,” the BJP leader said.

“If not as a member of Congress, then as a son, I will dedicate my life to serving you and my door will always be open to you…as it has always been. I entered politics to lift up the voices of ordinary people and today I seek your Blessing to continue doing this work no matter what the cost,” he said.

Varun Gandhi was also emotional in his letter, recalling his introduction to Pilibhit during a meeting with his mother Maneka Gandhi in 1983, when he was a three-year-old boy.

“…I remember the first time that three-year-old boy came to Pilibhit in 1983, holding his mother’s finger. How did he know that one day this land would become his workplace and the people here would become his workplace .”family? “

“The relationship between Pilibhit and me was one of love and trust…which is far above any political multiplication. I was, am and will be yours…” Mr. Gandhi concluded.

Varun Gandhi is a two-time MP from Pilibhit, which has been a family affair ever since his mother Maneka Gandhi was elected in 1989. Mrs Gandhi, a prominent environmental activist and former federal minister, has won the seat six times, including consecutively as an independent candidate.

In the 2019 elections, Mr Gandhi defeated the Samajwadi Party’s Hemraj Verma by more than 2.55 lakh votes. This time, however, the BJP has chosen to drop Gandhi’s name entirely.

In recent years, however, Mr Gandhi, 44, has been critical of his own party’s government and policies. Last September, for example, he lashed out at the BJP over the import of cheetahs from Africa. The comments come after nine cheetahs died in just five months in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park.

On the X day, he posted a news report about more cheetahs being brought to India and said: “Importing cheetahs from Africa only to have nine cheetahs die in a foreign country is… a shocking display of negligence. .”

Importing cheetahs from Africa and allowing nine of them to die in a foreign country is not only cruel but also shockingly negligent.

We should focus on protecting our own endangered species and habitats, not exacerbating these magnificent suffering… https://t.co/atB0hFE8wC

— Varun Gandhi (@varungandhi80) September 16, 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose party is seeking a third consecutive term in office, has fielded former Congress leader Jitin Prasada from Pilibhit. He will compete against Indian opposition joint candidate Bhagwat Saran Gangwar of the Samajwadi Party.

Read | UP minister Jitin Prasada replaces Varun Gandhi in Pilibhit contest

It is unclear whether Mr Gandhi will quit any other seat in this election or if he will now stay with the BJP. He did, however, receive an invitation from his “enemy”: Congress.

Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury offered to join the party, claiming that the BJP disqualified Gandhi because of his ties to the Gandhi family; he is Rahul Gandhi’s cousin .

Read | ‘Clean image’: Adil Chaudhry wants Varun Gandhi in Congress

“He should come here. We will be happy. He is an educated man. He has a clean image. The BJP refused him a ticket because of his association with the Gandhi family. I think he should come (to the Congress) ,” Congress leaders said.

Uttar Pradesh is a key state in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, offering 80 seats. A big win, or at least a strong showing, is crucial if the BJP wants to achieve its target of 370-plus seats on its own.

The opposition will be made up of the Congress party and the Samajwadi Party led by former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav; the two have agreed to allocate seats in the state in a ratio of 17 to 63.

UP will vote in each of the seven phases of the 2024 elections starting from April 19 and ending on June 1. Results will be announced on June 4.

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