Varun Gandhi, whose hate speeches had landed him in jail, has stirred further controversy by favouring revival of his father Sanjay Gandhi's compulsory sterilisation policy. The BJP candidate from Pilibhit Lok Sabha constituency also favoured compulsory military service for all Indians.

In an interview to The Daily Telegraph, Varun said he hoped to follow in his father's footsteps by offering strong leadership which, according to him, India lacked for 20 years. Politics, the 29-year-old fire-brand BJP leader said, was his destiny, and added: "Anyone who says they have no ambition to achieve power at some stage is lying."