Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at a Roadshow with her brother Rahul Gandhi in Amethi on Sunday
"Who?" was Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's cutting response to questions today about
Smriti Irani, who is running against her brother,
Rahul, in Amethi.
Ms Irani, BJP leader, was equally scathing in her response. "I am not surprised. If u forget scams done by a family member why wud u remember my name:) (sic)," the actor-turned-politician tweeted today, referring to allegations of corruption that are swarming around Priyanka's husband, entrepreneur Robert Vadra.
The exchange of fire comes a day before
Narendra Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, arrives in Amethi to rally support for Ms Irani. (
Ahead of Narendra Modi's visit, Rahul Gandhi Holds Roadshow in Amethi)
Opinion polls show the BJP positioned to win the most seats in the national election. The Congress, fronted by Rahul Gandhi, is struggling with predictions of one of its poorest performances ever. The party is headed by his mother, Sonia.
Priyanka is not contesting the election, but as campaign manager for her mother and brother, she has become a headline-stirrer in the last few weeks on account of an aggressive confrontation with Mr Modi, who has challenged the Gandhis to explain what he describes as a miraculous fortune accumulated by Mr Vadra.
Though Mr Gandhi has been representing Amethi in the Lok Sabha since 2004, he is facing a tough contest this time. Apart from Ms Irani, Aam Aadmi Party's Kumar Vishwas, a close aide of Arvind Kejriwal, is the AAP's candidate from the constituency which has come to be regarded as a Gandhi family bastion. Amethi votes on May 7. (
Amethi Will be 'betraying' the Country if it Votes for Congress or BJP: Arvind Kejriwal)