Lucknow: Ahead of BJP's next list of candidates from Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha elections, the two seats that are being discussed the most are Sultanpur and Pilibhit, which are held by Maneka Gandhi and her son Varun Gandhi respectively.
Speculations are rife in the political circles about whether Varun's statements against the BJP in the last three years will lead him and his mother to lose their tickets. Varun has been vocal against the BJP on many issues ranging from farmer's movement to unemployment, country's security and India's dispute with China. He has taken a critical stand against the BJP and the Uttar Pradesh government that had put the party on wrong foot several times.
Political sources said Varun may not get a ticket from Pilibhit this time. Along with him, possibilities are high that his mother may also be denied ticket from Sultanpur. Sources said names of the senior leaders who were given tickets in Uttar Pradesh have already been included in the first list. For those whose names did not appear in the list, it is most likely that they would not be given tickets at all, sources said.
Born on August 26, 1956, Maneka, widow of Sanjay Gandhi, had joined the BJP following a dispute with former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Apart from being a politician, she is a noted animal rights activist and environmentalist. She is a sitting BJP member of Lok Sabha.
She has been a minister in four governments. Her first meeting with Sanjay Gandhi was arranged by her uncle in 1973. After which, they got married on September 23, 1974.
Sanjay Gandhi played an active role in politics during the Emergency (1975–77). Maneka helped him in the campaigns and was seen accompanying him on almost all his tours. After Sanjay Gandhi's death, Maneka did not get along well with Indira Gandhi and separated herself from the Gandhi family. She wanted to contest elections from Amethi, from where her husband contested. But due to his young age, Indira Gandhi fielded Rajiv Gandhi from the seat. Angered by this, Maneka contested against Rajiv Gandhi in the next election but was defeated. After which, she joined the BJP.
Varun, born on March 13, 1980, is a Lok Sabha MP from Pilibhit constituency. He was the youngest politician in the country to serve the post of national general secretary and has been a member of the national executive of BJP. Prior to this, he was MP from Sultanpur Lok Sabha seat.
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