Polling in Rae Bareli, Amethi: Rahul mingles with workers, voters; coaxes naysayers to vote

Despite the heat, long queues of voters were witnessed at polling booths in Rae Bareli and Amethi which saw by and large peaceful polling, though there were some complaints of skirmishes between the Congress and the BJP workers who allegedly snatched or threw away the poll material at Congress desks at some polling booths in Rae Bareli on Monday.
Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is the Congress candidate from Rae Bareli, reached Rae Bareli in the forenoon on Monday and began his tour of the constituency after Darshan at the Churuva Hanuman temple in Rae Bareli.
Rahul Gandhi also went to Mainupur village, where a poll boycott was announced, and persuaded the villagers to vote.
There were complaints from some polling booths that the brother of BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh allegedly took away the voter lists from the Congress’s poll desk. Rahul Gandhi went there and asked the partymen to work fearlessly.
“We got such complaints from eight to 10 places and the district administration remained a mute spectator. We have filed complaints at many places,” said district Congress committee, Rae Bareli president Pankaj Tiwari.
Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) spokesman Manish Hindavi expressed the same sentiments and said, “Yes, Rahul Gandhi went to the Congress poll desk at Belakhera polling booth and asked the partymen not to be scared (Daro Mat). There were complaints at eight to 10 polling booths that files at the Congress poll desk were taken away allegedly at the behest of the brother of the BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh. At some places in Rahi block, there are complaints that the material taken away from the Congress poll desk was burnt.”
Rahul Gandhi first visited Hanuman temple at Churua (Rae Bareli) temple for ‘darshan’ and then visited Gandhi Inter College polling station at Bachhrawan, Rae Bareli. Many of those who had come to vote there requested him for a selfie and the Congress leader immediately obliged. Outside the polling station, he went to meet the Congress workers and sat on the chair where partymen were distributing voting slips to voters.
Long queues were also seen at Kathaura polling booth in Jagdishpur, Amethi. “It’s been peaceful here. There appears to be a mixed response from the voters and the fight between union minister Smriti Irani and the Congress candidate is going to be tough,” said Abhay, a polling agent who claimed to be associated with the BJP.
Panav Mal, who came out of the polling booth, said that people were voting for the development of the constituency, as no major work has taken place in Amethi in recent years.
At another polling booth of Amethi, Mohammad Sharif Khan echoed the sentiments. Another voter said, “Sonia Gandhi has represented the seat since 2004. Now, she has given its responsibility to her son Rahul Gandhi. So, we feel that it’s our responsibility to take care of him.”
“My vote for a strong, safe and prosperous India,” said Smriti Irani in a post on X (formerly twitter) after casting her vote at Primary School, Lal Tikra Mavai in Gauriganj, in Amethi.
Speaking to media persons, she urged the countrymen to take part in the festival of democracy. She said that voting was the people’s responsibility towards India and India’s future. She said, at Gauriganj, she was fortunate to vote for the leader, who, with a resolve for developed India, is devoted to the welfare of the poor and to women’s empowerment. She was hopeful that the people would give the leader their love and blessings.
On the other hand, District Congress Committee Amethi president Pradeep Singhal said that the polling in Amethi was peaceful. “Yes, the polling in Amethi has remained completely peaceful. So far, we have no complaints from anywhere,” he said.
Earlier, Priyanka Gandhi, who camped in Rae Bareli for nearly two weeks to campaign for Rahul Gandhi and KL Sharma in Amethi, on Monday, urged voters to vote in large numbers.
“My dear family members of Rae Bareli and Amethi! The golden history of ‘100 years of service’ says that you always stood for democracy and the Constitution. You always supported the sacred spirit of service, dedication, struggle and martyrdom. We are proud of your awareness. You are that power of Jan Gan Man in front of which even the biggest illusion of lies fails. You show a mirror to the politics of misguidance and count on your fingers who did how much work and who indulged only in politics of deception. Today is the time to turn this awareness into a mandate. Vote in large numbers and send a message to the entire country that you are with the positive politics of democracy, constitution and development,” said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in a post on X.