With AAP's Kumar Vishwas in the fray, Rahul Gandhi unlikey to have a walkover

AMETHI: The challenge for the two-term MP from Amethi is closer home, at his very constituency that has only elected a Gandhi for decades. The gambit thrown by Aam Aadmi Party leader Kumar Vishwas on Sunday in Amethi may upset Rahul Gandhi’s national plans, even as the Congress is expected to declare him its prime ministerial candidate.

It is too early to predict the outcome of a Rahul-Vishwas clash. But such a clash may tie down the Congress vice president to his constituency, where elections normally are noncontests for the Gandhis.

“The euphoria today might be evident, but it is not easy to defeat the son of Rajiv Gandhi so easily here,” Ram Ujagar, who sells tea close to the Ram Lila ground, said, referring the rally used by Vishwas to make his debut in Amethi.

However a youth, Abhishek Gaur, present at the rally wants to look beyond the Gandhi family. “We need change now. It is important. See all around you. Do you feel you are visiting a VIP constituency?”

He was supported by a group of friends who appeared to be enthusiastic AAP supporters. Primary school teacher Durga Dutt Pandey too is taken in by the AAP candidate.

“We will vote for Vishwas. This constituency has been electing a member of the powerful Gandhi family for many decades but still the roads, power supply, civic facilities are poor.”