Pilibhit has been represented by the mother-son duo of Maneka and Varun Gandhi since 1996 and the locals share a deep sentimental connection with the family, which, they say, has stood with them in their times of need. "BJP will win because of PM Modi's popularity. But had Varun Gandhi contested, it would have probably won with a higher number of votes," Ram Swaroop, a village head from the Marauri block of Pilibhit, told ET.Gandhi had won with more than 700,000 votes in 2019.
