India’s biggest election prize: Can the Gandhi family survive Modi?
Al Jazeera
The pocket boroughs of Amethi and Rae Bareli have stood by the first family of Indian politics through ups and downs.
Amethi/Rae Bareli, India – Irfan*, a tea stall owner, is convinced that change is afoot.
“There has not been much traffic on this road from Rae Bareli to Amethi ever since the Congress lost power in 2014,” he says, referring to two towns and a party that for decades have been synonymous with one family – the Nehru-Gandhis, or as they are more commonly known, the Gandhis.
The first family of Indian politics has ruled the country for almost half of its journey since independence in 1947, with three generations of prime ministers: Jawaharlal Nehru, his daughter Indira Gandhi, and grandson Rajiv Gandhi. And through ups and downs, when the Congress has been in power and out of it, Amethi and Rae Bareli, separated by 62km (38 miles), have for the most part stood by the family. They’ve served as safe constituencies for India’s grand old party in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which is India’s largest electoral prize: with 80 seats out of the nation’s total of 543 in the lower house of parliament.
In 2019, that tradition received a dramatic jolt when the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi – son of Rajiv – lost Amethi by 55,000 votes to Smriti Irani, a feisty minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, which has been in power nationally since 2014. Rahul’s mother and former Congress chief, Sonia Gandhi, retained Rae Bareli for the party, the only seat it won in Uttar Pradesh as the BJP swept the nation, winning 303 seats overall.
Now, five years later, the towns are a tense microcosm of the national battle between the BJP and opposition Congress; between Modi and the Gandhis. Rahul is replacing his 77-year-old mother from Rae Bareli this time. BJP’s Irani is seeking reelection from Amethi. Each of them is expected to face tough competition from the other’s party. Amethi and Rae Bareli vote on May 20 in India’s giant election.
Al Jazeera looks at how years of punitive measures cost billions, filled prisons and did little to curb violence.
After Pahalgam attack in April, India deported 800 Pakistanis. Children separated from parents still can’t meet them.
Trump’s top economic adviser is odds-on favourite to lead the Fed amid concerns over the central bank’s independence.
Russian and US negotiators met in Moscow for almost five hours but there are no signs of any breakthrough.
NGO documents accounts of atrocities during paramilitary force’s April assault on the North Darfur facility.
Comments come after long meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and two senior US officials in Moscow.
Legal experts say there is no basis in the US Constitution for a president to revoke pardons.
Congresswoman Omar calls Trump’s comments about her ‘creepy’ after the US president launches into an anti-Somali tirade.
US is pushing for a non-aggression pact between Israel, Syria, but Netanyahu has shown little appetite for compromise.
Talks to take place in Moscow amid renewed diplomatic push to end long-running war.
PM Modi said he wants those who can’t afford shoes to be able to fly. But shrinking competition is killing that hope.
Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov said Russian forces have also captured the city of Vovchansk in Kharkiv.
Samar and Abdulrahman had everything ready for their baby. But rains ruined their plans, as they try to survive in Gaza.