New Delhi, Nov. 11: The BJP today announced Maneka Gandhi would fight the Lok Sabha polls from Aonla in Uttar Pradesh while nearby Pilibhit, her long-held seat, would be her son Varun’s launch pad.

Some observers view Maneka’s seat shuffle as the party’s attempt to create a family fief on the lines of Rae Bareli-Amethi.

The irony is the BJP, which has long attacked the Congress for dynasty rule, has itself turned to the Nehru-Gandhis to create its own version of a family fief.

Varun will contest for the first time. The party believes Pilibhit will be “safe” for him as his mother has nurtured it. But Maneka can’t be as sure of winning nearby Aonla as she has been of retaining Pilibhit.

Maneka’s seat shift is similar to that of Sonia, who had moved to Rae Bareli after leaving the safer Amethi for Rahul in 2004. Both had won the polls by huge margins.

Seats for 11 sitting BJP MPs and senior leaders from Uttar Pradesh were also announced today. Party president Rajnath Singh will contest from Ghaziabad while Murli Manohar Joshi will move from Allahabad to Varanasi.

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh has been given the ticket from Etah.