New Delhi
In a significant victory, Congress’ KL Sharma defeated Bhartiya Janta Party’s Smriti Irani in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi. After meeting with senior party leaders at 10 Janpath, the residence of Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Sharma shared his experience with sources.
He recounted seeking blessings from Sonia Gandhi and the presence of Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and KC Venugopal during the meeting. Sharma emphasized the advice given by these leaders to remain humble and avoid ego despite his newfound MP status. He pledged to serve everyone in his constituency, regardless of their voting preferences, vowing to prioritize the needs of the people of Amethi. Sharma’s victory, with a margin of 1,67,196 votes over Smriti Irani, reflects a significant electoral shift. In the broader context of the 18th Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-led NDA secured 294 seats, while the INDIA bloc won 234 seats.
PM Modi secured a third term, although the BJP now relies on coalition partners such as JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar and TDP’s chief Chandrababu Naidu to reach the 272-seat majority mark. This election marks a departure from the BJP’s previous dominance, with the party falling short of securing a majority on its own for the first time since 2014.
