New Delhi: The Congress made a surprising decision regarding the constituencies of Amethi and Raebareli. Contrary to expectations, Rahul Gandhi will be contesting from Raebareli, the seat recently vacated by his mother Sonia Gandhi. In Amethi, which was once a stronghold of the Gandhi family but defected to the BJP five years ago, the Congress has chosen Kishori Lal Sharma as their candidate. Despite efforts, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could not be convinced to contest from Raebareli, a constituency she had nurtured on behalf of her mother for over a decade.
The Congress finally announced their decision on Friday, putting an end to weeks of suspense. After filing his nomination, Rahul Gandhi is expected to hold a grand roadshow today. Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, along with senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, will also be present at the roadshow.
Following the announcement of the candidates for these prestigious seats, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra congratulated KL Sharma and expressed confidence in his “loyalty and dedication” to secure victory in the election.
“Our family has had a long association with Kishori Lal Sharma ji. His passion for public service is exemplary. Today, it brings me joy that the Congress Party has chosen Shri Kishori Lal Ji as the candidate from Amethi. I am certain that his loyalty and dedication towards his duty will lead him to success in this election,” she stated.
There are concerns that the change in seat for Rahul Gandhi could potentially benefit the BJP, especially considering Union minister Smriti Irani’s victory in Amethi in 2019. The senior BJP leader is prepared to defend the seat and has stated that the delay by the Congress was due to hesitation, anticipating her victory. In an exclusive interview with NDTV last week, she mentioned that the leadership is aware of the unfavorable situation in this constituency for them, as they have not yet announced their candidate despite being confident of winning.
Ms Vadra’s choice not to run for office could further trouble the party. Many Congress leaders fear that this decision might create a negative image that could impact the election results nationwide. With 353 seats still up for grabs, the Congress is competing in 330 of them.
Sources suggest that Ms Vadra’s reluctance is due to the fear that her victory in Raebareli could reinforce BJP’s accusations of dynasty politics, as all three family members would be in parliament. Sonia Gandhi is already in the Rajya Sabha, and Rahul Gandhi contested from Wayanad in Kerala.
If Mr. Gandhi wins in both Raebareli and Wayanad, it could pose a dilemma for the party, as he would need to vacate one of the two seats, both of which have strong ties to him. While Raebareli is a long-standing family stronghold, Wayanad is a Congress bastion that he represented when Amethi was lost. However, this is a challenge that the Congress will have to address at a later time.