Lucknow, November 19: After narrowing the gap between the winner and the prime challenger in Amethi Lok Sabha seat to its lowest in the past three decades, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani has launched an extravagant campaign in the Nehru-Gandhi family bastion to defeat Congress president Rahul Gandhi next year.

On a day when Irani is scheduled to visit the constituency to dedicate development projects worth nearly Rs 80 crore, Gandhi attempted to counter her campaign blitz by reaching out to the farmers of Amethi with "Israeli banana plants". Smriti Irani Sends 10,000 Sarees as 'Gift' in Rahul Gandhi's Seat Amethi.

Congress leader Nadeem Ashraf, who has been distributing the special Grand Nain G9 variety of banana plants to the farmers, said the move is aimed doubling the agrarian income of the region.

The G9 variety, imported from Israel, are yielding banana plants with greater market value. Not only can they be harvested within a year of planting, the fruit is considered to taste better than the native varieties. It could also be stored for a comparatively longer period.

Ashraf said the banana plants have been sent by Rahul Gandhi for distribution in the constituency. Unlike the BJP, he added, the Gandhi family "has never promoted" what it does on regular basis for the farmers, workers, youth and poor section of Amethi and Rae Bareli.

Political observers in Amethi are, however, quick to point out that the banana plant distribution came days after Irani generated a buzz in the constituency by sending sarees for women on the occasion of Diwali.

According to BJP leader Govind Singh, the Congress will face an unprecedented setback in 2019 when "their bastion would be finally eroded". Irani, he said, is reaching out to Amethi residents despite losing in 2014. On the other hand, "the elected lawmaker (Gandhi)" has taken electorate for granted, Singh alleged.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 19, 2018 05:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).