MyNation’s ground report revealed that a large section of electorate in Amethi believe that Sharma’s entry would also unveil the politics of ‘note-for-vote’ this polling season.
Amethi: While longtime Gandhi family loyalist Captain Satish Sharma is rumoured to take over as the election in-charge of Amethi to deliver the Congress bastion for party chief Rahul Gandhi in 2019 polls, MyNation’s ground report revealed that a large section of electorate here believe that Sharma’s entry would also unveil the politics of ‘note-for-vote’ this polling season.
MyNation’s earlier ground report from Amethi, just a couple of months ago, had also unearthed such allegations as several voters, drawn from varying sections of Amethi’s electorate, had alleged that the Congress resorted to ‘buying’ votes every general election to win the seat.
Amar Nath Gupta from Gauriganj alleged that Sharma was notorious for ensnaring voters in lieu of money and goodies, using local notables. “The people of Amethi have become informed and educated. Now, Sharma’s note-for-vote politics is not going to cut it for the Congress. We will vote for the person who has actually taken our problems up,” he said.
Shabishta Brijesh, a social worker from the Tiloi Assembly segment that is part of the Amethi Lok Sabha seat, said Sharma’s entry for delivering Amethi for the Gandhi’s was a sign of Congress’s weakness.
“Sharma has also represented Amethi. He used to ask for votes in the name of Rajiv Gandhi. Now, things have come to such pass that Gandhis have to employ Sharma to get votes for them. Anyway, Sharma’s only claim to politics is dealing in money and buying votes,” she said.
“Sharma is not new to Amethi’s politics. He had tried his luck earlier also. And always his politics has been based on money, buying and selling of votes,” said Raghvendra Singh from Salon said.
Ram Baran Rawat from Salon in Amethi said Sharma “uses black money to dole out among voters”.
Meanwhile, Union minister Smriti Irani has emerged as a strong contender to the Congress domination of Amethi and Rahul Gandhi’s move to contest from Wayanad also, apart from Amethi, has only strengthened her case with the voters here.
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.