In a surprising turn of events, Congress's Kishori Lal Sharma has taken a substantial lead over BJP's Smriti Irani in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi constituency. Sharma, a loyal supporter of the Gandhi family, is ahead by over one lakh votes, attributing his success to the support of the Gandhi family and the INDIA bloc alliance.

Sharma expressed his gratitude in an interview with India Today, saying, "This victory is due to the Gandhi family and the INDIA bloc. Amethi values humility over arrogance, and all credit goes to Priyanka Gandhi."

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who played a pivotal role in the campaign, congratulated Sharma on X (formerly known as Twitter). She wrote, "Kishori bhaiya, I always believed in your victory. Heartfelt congratulations to you and the people of Amethi!"

Despite exit polls forecasting a tight race, Sharma's significant lead has defied expectations. BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had ridiculed the absence of a Gandhi candidate in Amethi, suggesting Rahul Gandhi had abandoned the constituency due to fear of losing.

Priyanka Gandhi's intense two-week campaign in both Amethi and Rae Bareli has been instrumental in this success. Rahul Gandhi, contesting from Rae Bareli for the first time, is leading by a considerable margin of 2,27,535 votes against BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh.

According to recent trends, the Opposition-led INDIA bloc is making notable gains in BJP-dominated Uttar Pradesh, leading in 44 seats. Amethi, a traditional Congress stronghold that saw Smriti Irani's victory over Rahul Gandhi in 2019, is witnessing a significant political shift with Sharma's lead.

The Congress's strategic decision to field Kishori Lal Sharma in Amethi, maintaining suspense until the last moment, has proven effective, countering BJP's taunts and reestablishing the party's influence in the constituency.