"Is He PM Candidate?": Smriti Irani On Rahul Gandhi Debating PM Modi

Ms Irani questioned Mr Gandhi's ability to engage in a debate with someone of Prime Minister Modi's stature, given his reluctance to contest in his historical stronghold, Amethi.

Union Minister Smriti Irani questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after the latter accepted an invitation to debate Prime Minister Narendra Modi on crucial election issues. Ms Irani questioned Mr Gandhi's ability to engage in a debate with someone of Prime Minister Modi's stature, given his reluctance to contest in his historical stronghold, Amethi.  स्वस्थ लोकतंत्र के लिए प्रमुख दलों का एक मंच से अपना विज़न देश के समक्ष रखना एक सकारात्मक पहल होगी।कांग्रेस इस पहल का स्वागत करती है और चर्चा का निमंत्रण स्वीकार करती है।देश प्रधानमंत्री जी से भी इस संवाद में हिस्सा लेने की अपेक्षा करता है। pic.twitter.com/YMWWqzBRhE

The Amethi constituency had been synonymous with the Gandhi family's political legacy, represented by Mr Gandhi since 2004 until his defeat in 2019. The Congress leader last week filed his nomination papers from the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat, a constituency held by his mother Sonia Gandhi for the last two decades. 

Responding to Mr Gandhi's challenge for a debate, Ms Irani, the BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Amethi, said, "Firstly, the person who does not have the courage to contest against a normal BJP worker in his so-called castle, should refrain from boasting. Secondly, who wants to sit at level with PM Modi and have a debate, I want to ask him if is he a PM candidate of the INDI alliance?"