A TRYST WITH DESTINY THAT WASN’T TO BE

Amethi is waiting for Godot. Or for a Gandhi. Not just for a 53-yearold with that name, but something inclusive of that - and more than that.

- SANTWANA BHATTACHARYA

A Nehru-Gandhi did not get into a direct contest here, but had long-time aide K L Sharma stand in. Those within and outside who had betted big on a re-run of 2019 are disappointed. The gladiatorial fight. that was to be is now DE THIR FOUR-PA substantially downscaled. But a fight is on, albeit by proxy, and reduced to a scrimmage of competitive accusations.

Even while abandoning Rahul in 2019, it's as if Amethi kept up its love for high-profile contests, as if to keep itself in the reckoning by default, its own little tryst with destiny.