Neither upset nor surprised: Maneka Gandhi on BJP dropping Varun from Pilibhit

BJP's Sultanpur Lok Sabha candidate Maneka Gandhi said that she was neither surprised nor upset when her son Varun Gandhi didn't get the party ticket to contest the general elections.

BJP had replaced three-time MP Varun Gandhi with UP minister Jitin Prasada from Pilibhit. Varun had been critical of the Narendra Modi-led government in the Centre and Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh.

"BJP is a cadre-based party, and everyone adheres to the decisions made," she said, according to the Times of India outlet.

During an interaction with a news channel, Maneka expressed pride and complete trust in her son, saying that he contributed positively to the country.

She also said that she was unaware whether Varun was joining any other party.

Stressing her connection as the daughter-in-law of Amethi-Sultanpur, Maneka highlighted her ability to dedicate complete time and ensure ongoing development works in Sultanpur.

"It doesn't matter whether I was made a minister again or not. Voters from my area have not faced any problems. No difference could be felt, and the pace of work has only increased," she said.

Earlier, Varun penned an emotional letter to the people of his constituency after he was dropped by the BJP.

"Today, as I write this letter, countless memories overwhelm me. I recall that little three-year-old child who arrived in Pilibhit for the first time in 1983, holding his mother's fingers. Little did he know that one day, this land would become his workplace, and the people here would become his family," he wrote.

"If not as an MP, then at least as a son, I am committed to serving you throughout my life, and my doors will always remain open to you as before. I entered politics to amplify the voice of the common man, and today, I seek your blessings to continue this work always, even if I have to bear any cost for it," he concluded.