Within 24 hours of Smriti's severe jibes at Rahul in Amethi, sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra landed in adjoining Rae Bareli, the seat held by her mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, to return the fire in equal measure while Rahul himself is in faraway Kerala.
The entire Gandhi family seems to have closed ranks to counter the sudden and rather robust attack mounted by Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani targeting Rahul Gandhi on his own home turf of Amethi.
Within 24 hours of Smriti's severe jibes at Rahul in Amethi, sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra landed in adjoining Rae Bareli, the seat held by her mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, to return the fire in equal measure while Rahul himself is in faraway Kerala.
Soon after, Smriti returned the fire with equal severity. The war of words could escalate as Sonia arrives in Rae Bareli on Thursday.
"Why hasn't she (Smriti) started an IIIT in Amethi yet? After all, this comes under her HRD ministry," Priyanka said in virtually burst-fire mode as she spoke to the media in Rae Bareli. She also raised questions about restarting the Rae Bareli unit of IIIT. The unemployed youth of this area would have greatly benefited by this, she asserted.
She also took a jibe at the hype over Modi government's completion of one year in office, saying: "They talk of achievements. Why hasn't the IIIT moved forward yet? She should tell the people."
Smriti was quick on the draw as she retorted: "Next time Mrs Vadra makes an allegation, she should do her home work… she seems to forget that it is Rahul who won the election is Amethi… it is surprising that the person who won is asking the one who lost about development… isn't he capable of doing something for his own constituency?"
The famous actress-turned-politician also said that Priyanka should remember that the Congress ruled the country for 60 years, "and they are asking us what we have done in one year".
Smriti also picked on Priyanka's sudden visit, saying: "Is Rahul not able to defend himself that he needs support from his sister?"
On Tuesday, the minister had landed in Amethi to celebrate the BJP-led Modi government's first year in office. She called herself "the daughter of Amethi," a title associated in these parts with Priyanka.
Smriti, 39, had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election against Rahul in Amethi last year. She lost, but hugely diminished Rahul's voteshare in the Nehru-Gandhi family pocket borough as compared to the earlier two elections.
IIIT
Rahul had inaugurated the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in Rae Bareli in 2005. Last year, the IIIT, Allahabad, which it is affiliated to, wrote to the HRD ministry saying it was finding it difficult to run it.
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