lok-sabha-elections

Updated: Apr 15, 2019 12:43 IST

In a statement that could stir a controversy, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi has said that she categorises different villages as per the votes registered in her favour and prioritises development accordingly.

Addressing a poll gathering in the parliamentary constituency that she currently represents, Maneka said, “We win in Pilibhit every time, so what is the parameter that we work more for one village and less for the other. The parameter is that we segregate all villages as A, B, C, and D.”

“The village where we get 80 per cent votes is A, the village in which we get 60 per cent is B, the village in which we get 50 per cent is C and the village where we get less than 50 per cent is D. The development work first happens in all A category villages. After work at A category regions is done, then comes B and only after work in B is done, we start with C. So this is up to you whether you make it to A, B or C and no one should come in D because we all have come here to do good work,” the Union Minister added.

Maneka Gandhi had recently courted controversy after she had said that her win from Sultanpur Lok Sabha constituency is certain “with or without” the support of Muslims. She had also said the community should realise it since “they will need to get their work done” once the BJP is in power.

Following her previous remarks, the Election Commission had issued a show-cause notice to her.

Maneka’s son Varun Gandhi, who is an incumbent MP from Sultanpur constituency, is contesting the ongoing Lok Sabha polls from the Pilibhit constituency, whereas Maneka is contesting from Sultanpur.

Pilibhit will be going to polls in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 23. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)