Yogi, Priyanka campaign in Amethi, but don’t come face-to-face

Lucknow, April 30 (IANS) UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were both in Amethi on Tuesday to campaign for Smriti Irani and Rahul Gandhi respectively. Both the leaders, whose programmes ran hours behind schedule, did not cross each other's path.

Yogi Adityanath addressed an election meeting at Maurya Ka Nagh in Jagdhishpur while Priyanka Gandhi's road show went from Tiloi to Bazar Shukul, Zainabganj, Haliapur, Deokali, Atwara and then to Musafirkhana and then Rae Bareli.

She met people and addressed small 'nukkad' meetings along the route. In Kharawan block, she asked people to vote for her brother Rahul Gandhi and spoke at length about projects that had been initiated by him and were later shelved by the Modi government. She said the BJP was trying to carry out a misinformation campaign about her brother.

Yogi Adityanath campaigned for Union minister Smriti Irani in Jagdishpur. He had earlier accompanied her during her nomination in Amethi.

Irani had unsuccessfully contested the Amethi seat in 2014 against Rahul Gandhi who won by over one lakh votes.

The Chief Minister, in his speech, attacked the Congress when he said that it was doubtful whether the Congress would deliver 'Nyay' when it had always done injustice to the people.

'Nyay' is the Congress slogan for its scheme that promises Rs 72,000 per year to the poor families.

"In five years, the Modi government has done more work than what the Congress did in 55 years. In the Modi regime, all benefits go straight to the people and there is no corruption," said Adityanath.

He said during Congress governments, Pakistani terrorists beheaded jawans, but now when soldiers are martyred; it is avenged by going inside Pakistan.

The Chief Minister promised that if the 'lotus' bloomed in Amethi, the constituency would witness rapid development.

Earlier in the day, tension was palpable in the air due to the presence of Yogi Adityanath and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

"We made sure while sanctioning the route of the road show that the Congress workers did not come face-to-face with BJP supporters and both the parties cooperated," said a senior district official.