‘My relationship with Pilibhit beyond political calculations’: Varun in letter to BJP after snub

A DAY after Jitin Prasada filed his nomination papers for the Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat, sitting BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Thursday wrote an open letter to the people of the constituency, promising to continue working for them at any cost.

Jitin Prasada, who replaced Varun, filed his papers on Wednesday, the last date to do so in eight Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh for the first phase, including Pilibhit.

After Jitin filed his papers, UP president Bhupendra Chaudhary said the party would speak to Varun to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. “Varun Gandhi is a BJP leader and is with the party,” Bhupendra Chaudhary had said.

In his emotional letter, Varun said the constituency has nurtured him not just as amp but also as an individual. “I am writing to you as uncountable memories have made me sentimental. I still remember that 3-year-old child, who had come to Pilibhit for the first time in 1983 with his mother. He did not know that the land would become his karma bhumi and its people would become his family,” he wrote.

Talking about the end of his term as MP, Varun said his relationship with Pilibhit is beyond “rajnitik guna bhag (political calculations)” and promised to work for them till his last breath. He also said he has always raised his voice for the welfare of the people of the constituency.

Varun said he might not be able to serve them as a MP but would continue to do so as their “son”. “Mere darwaze aapke liye hamesha pehle jaise khule rahenge (My doors will always be open for you),” he wrote, , adding he had come into politics to raise the voice of common people and would continue to do so at “any cost”.

Varun Gandhi ended his letter by saying that his relationship with Pilibhit is that of love and trust. “Main aapka tha aur rahunga,” he said.

Varun Gandhi