According to the electoral rolls for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections, in about 50% of the 224 assembly seats in the state, women voters outnumber men. The main parties may be lacking in giving a high number of tickets to women candidates, but there is a new fight between two women leaders capturing the political space — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (Congress) versus Smriti Irani (Bharatiya Janata Party).
Vadra has done more rallies and road shows than most Congress leaders from outside Karnataka. When the Congress was attacked by the BJP, including the PM, for Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s “poisonous snake” comment, Vadra was chosen to make the strongest attack on the PM.
The BJP decided to unleash Irani, whose strong credentials come from the fact that she defeated Rahul Gandhi in the Gandhi family pocketborough of Amethi.
On a day, when the Congress began its campaign by releasing a corruption report card, Irani threw it back at her.
She told News18: “I want to know more about why she asked for money from banker Rana Kapoor? Why was money sought in exchange for a Padma award? Look at the PM, he meets common people, who are not entitled, those who have done so much…People like Tulsi Gowda.”
She added: “Isn’t it a fact that Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi are out on bail? Isn’t DK Shivakumar also out on bail and under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED)?”
Not just this, Irani, also in the context of the controversy over Bajrang Dal, asked: “Why did Vadra read the namaaz during the elections?”
Post the 2019 polls, Irani emerged as the giant killer by defeating Rahul Gandhi who then also had to also contest from Wayanad. Vadra may not have a good report card on elections, but she is the one who has the ability to pull the crowds and as a woman take on the BJP at a time when it’s looking at women empowerment.
Meanwhile, Irani has asserted herself as an aggressive and good orator, who does not mince words when it comes to attacking the Gandhis.
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