Amethi, April 11: Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Smriti Irani and her husband Zubin Irani performed a 'hawan' (pooja) on Thursday ahead of filing her nomination from Amethi Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh. According to reports, Irani is likely be accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and senior BJP leaders for file her nomination papers today. Irani faces a poll battle with Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who had filed his nomination papers on Wednesday.

Gandhi was accompanied by his sister and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, brother-in-law Robert Vadra, nephew Rehan and niece Miraya at the Munshiganj guest house. The Congress President has represented Amethi since 2004. Before him, Amethi was represented by Sonia Gandhi. Sonia Gandhi. Apart from Amethi, he is also contesting from Kerala's Wayanad parliamentary constituency. Yogi Adityanath to Visit Amethi With Smriti Irani on Thursday, a Day After Rahul Gandhi Files Nomination.

Smriti Irani Performs Pooja With Her Husband Zubin Irani: See Pics

According to Durgesh Tripathi, the district chairperson of the BJP, Irani was to file her nomination on April 17, but due to a holiday on that day (Mahaveer Jayanti), the Minister changed the date. The Amethi parliamentary constituency has four Assembly segments- Tiloi, Gauriganj and Jagdishpur (reserved) in Amethi district and Salon (reserved) in Raebareli.

Polling in Amethi in the fifth phase of the seven-phased general elections, and voting there will be held on May 6. In the last Lok Sabha elections held in 2014, Gandhi had defeated Smriti Irani by a margin of 1.07 lakh votes.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 11, 2019 11:38 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).