“One thing I want to talk about is how to make Parliament as a space for policy and not politics. I don’t remember the last time I heard a policy debate on any serious issue like health, education, or rural development and one of the reasons that I have always spoken against is how in the Parliament, all of us vote as our parties tell us—there are party whips —and we vote as sheep. Why can’t I have a conscience vote? So, in the US, England, rather 70 percent of the world, you can vote as you like and voters can scan the voting pattern of their representatives and find out whether they have kept their promises (…)”
This is an Instagram post of Varun Gandhi, the outgoing MP from Pilibhit, a three-time parliamentarian (twice from Pilibhit in 2009 and 2019 and once from Sultanpur in 2014). His mother, Menaka, has fought and won six elections from Pilibhit, in 1989 and 1996 (as Janata Dal candidate) and later, from the BJP in 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2014.
This year, Varun was denied renomination in 2024 while his mother and Union minister Menaka Gandhi was renominated from Sultanpur. However, speculations continue about the BJP fielding Varun from Rae Bareli, as the seat has been relinquished by the Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who because of health reasons will take the Rajya Sabha route to enter Parliament.
Why did the BJP high command drop Varun Gandhi? Was it because of his vociferous criticism of the Yogi Adityanath government against the suspension of licence to the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Amethi in September 2023, following the death of a patient? At the time, Varun had tweeted, “Resentment against a naam (name) should not spoil the kaam (work) for people.”
Varun is known to be candid and critical in his writings and social media posts on subjects ranging from rural development and economy to unemployment.
In 2021, the party’s high command dropped both Menaka and Varun from the party’s national executive. At the time, Varun was outspokenly critical of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, in which some farmers were run over by speeding vehicles, one of which belonged to a Union minister.
Was he denied a ticket because of his growing closeness with the Gandhi siblings and cousins, Rahul and Priyanka?
Menaka thanked the BJP leadership for her nomination from Sultanpur — a seat infamous for electing a new face every election — but remained silent over Varun not getting a ticket. There have been some speculations about the cousins coming together and their reunion getting delayed because of family differences between Sonia Gandhi and her sister-in-law Menaka that erupted soon after Sanjay Gandhi’s death in June 1980.
The Congress and the Samajwadi Party were quick to offer tickets to Varun Gandhi. However, all speculations were put to rest by Varun’s emotional letter to his voters on March 28 in which he said, “Though my tenure is coming to an end, my relationship with you cannot end till my last breath.”
“Being your representative has been the greatest honour of my life and I have always championed your interests to the best of my ability. If not as an MP, then as a son, I am committed to serving you throughout my life,” while recalling how he had first visited the constituency with his mother at the age of three.
Now, as he rests at home or may campaign for his mother in Sultanpur, turncoat and cabinet minister in the Yogi government Jitin Prasad has hit the campaign trail to cultivate a rapport in the constituency where he is little known. Menaka and her son have held the seat since 1989, barring the 1991 elections which went to BJP’s Parshuram Gangawar.
He belongs to a political family from neighbouring Shahjahanpur, which had its roots in the Congress. Jitin also quit the party in June 2021 and joined the BJP becoming minister in Yogi’s second term. His induction was celebrated by the BJP as they found a credible Brahmin face in the state.
However, as options are limited in the BJP where decisions taken at the top have to be executed, Jitin accepted the challenge and is on the move covering about 8-10 villages in a day.
“Few people have met him as he has never visited or attended any programme in Pilibhit. But as Prime Minister Modi is the bigger factor than the candidate in this election, Varun may not eclipse his prospects,” said Keshav (who only goes by his first name), a senior political commentator based in Pilibhit.
Nonetheless, the party is not taking any chances. Three star campaigners, the CM, Union home minister Amit Shah and Modi are campaigning in the constituency, which goes to the polls in the first phase. Yogi addressed a rally on April 2, and Modi is expected to visit Pilibhit soon.
Besides Modi’s charisma, caste remains an integral ingredient. The dominant caste groups in the constituency are Muslims, Kurmis, Lodh Kisan and communities belonging to the Scheduled Caste list.
The contest is primarily between the BJP and Samajwadi Party, which has fielded a Kurmi candidate Hemraj Verma, who had contested against Varun in 2019 as an SP nominee. He had polled 448,000 votes against 705,000 going in favour of Varun Gandhi.
The Issues in this constituency range from farming prices to man-tiger conflicts. The number of tigers in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve has increased to about 100, including cubs, and they stray into fields. The forest department has already declared 72 villages as highly sensitive.
Despite it being a tough seat, the BJP is confident about Jitin riding to victory on Modi’s welfare schemes, guarantees and Ram temple issue.
Sunita Aron is a consulting editor with the HT based in Lucknow. You can find her on X as @overto. The weekly column, Keeping up with UP tackles everything from politics to social and cultural mores in the country’s most populous state. The views expressed are personal.
