In a significant development ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, sources within the Congress party have indicated that Rahul Gandhi, a prominent leader, is poised to contest from the Raebareli constituency. The announcement of his candidature for the seat is expected to be made on Friday, the final day for filing nominations.
According to sources, Congress loyalist KL Sharma is set to contest from Amethi, the constituency where Rahul Gandhi faced defeat in the 2019 general elections against BJP leader Smriti Irani.
The deadline for filing nominations for seats slated for polling on May 20, in the fifth round of the seven-phase general elections, falls on Friday. Despite this imminent deadline, the Congress party has not yet issued an official statement regarding its choice of candidates for Amethi and Raebareli, which were historically considered strongholds for the party until the 2019 elections.
Raebareli, previously represented by Sonia Gandhi, who later became a member of the Rajya Sabha, has been a Congress bastion for decades. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi won from Raebareli three times, while her husband Feroze Gandhi and other members of the Nehru-Gandhi family have also been successful in this constituency.
Both Raebareli and Amethi are traditional strongholds of the Gandhi-Nehru family, with members holding these seats for prolonged periods. Rahul Gandhi’s defeat in Amethi in 2019, once considered a Congress stronghold, was perceived as a significant setback to the party’s national stature.
Rahul Gandhi, who represented Amethi in the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2019, is currently serving as a Member of Parliament from Wayanad. Meanwhile, Smriti Irani is vying for reelection from Amethi, a seat previously held by Rahul’s father, late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, and later contested by Sonia Gandhi before being passed on to Rahul.
Stay tuned for further updates as the political landscape in Uttar Pradesh evolves in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
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