In UP Elections, The Rani Of All Battles In Rahul Gandhi's Amethi

Amethi: If the BJP had planned a royal vs royal battle for the Amethi assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh, it could well get that even after the Samajwadi Party announced that its Gayatri Prajapati would contest the seat and not a Congress candidate. The Congress' Ameeta Sinh, who hoped to be fielded, has said she will contest as a rebel candidate. The BJP has picked Garima Sinh, 60, the estranged first wife of Congress leader Sanjay Sinh, locally known as the Maharaja of Amethi, which is also Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's parliamentary constituency.

Sanjay Sinh's second wife Ameeta Sinh, 54, wanted to contest the Amethi assembly seat as the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance's official candidate. But in his half-half division of the 10 seats in Amethi and adjacent Raebareli, Gandhi turf, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav chose to retain Amethi for his Samajwadi Party to contest. Sitting legislator and minister Gayatri Prajapati is the alliance's candidate.

"Amethi is my family and my home and I cannot leave it... I will contest from here," said Ameeta Sinh, a three-time MLA and former state minister who claims she has worked hard in the constituency and is a strong candidate. Ms Sinh said she was talking to senior Congress leaders.  

She accused the BJP of "petty politics" for picking Garima Sinh, a political novice, to contest in Amethi. "They have given ticket to someone who has no recognition in the region... people here have neither seen her nor has she seen them for years," Ameeta Sinh alleged.

The BJP is betting on Garima Sinh coming out on top as palace intrigue plays out politically - in Amethi, both are called Rani or Queen.

Garima Sinh, who calls Sanjay Sinh's marriage to Ameeta illegal, had in 2014 moved into a portion of the Bhupati Bhawan Palace in Amethi that Sanjay and Ameeta live in, along with her son and three daughters, laying claim to the considerable family fortune. She is the niece of former Prime Minister VP Singh and is said to have a fair amount of support among locals despite having been away from Amethi for many years.

Ameeta Sinh was earlier married to national badminton champ Syed Modi who was shot dead in 1988. Sanjay Sinh and Ameeta were charged with murder but were later acquitted by courts.

The battle of the Ranis may draw attention, but Samajwadi Party's Gayatri Prajapati, a backward caste leader, is still seen to have the edge in Amethi. He had defeated Ameeta Singh in 2012 by almost 10,000 votes. The BJP's candidate had polled less than 10,000 votes.

Amethi will vote on February 27, in phase five of the seven-phase UP election.  Results will be announced on March 11.