Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today filed his nomination papers from the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat, which his mother, Sonia Gandhi, has held for the last two decades.
- Rae Bareli - UPDATED: May 3, 2024, 04:43 PM - 2 min read
Rahul Gandhi returns to roots in Rae Bareli
Rae Bareli: Congress leader and candidate from Rae Bareli constituency Rahul Gandhi waves to supporters after filing his nomination for the Lok Sabha elections in Rae Bareli on Friday, May 3, 2024. - PTI
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today filed his nomination papers from the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat, which his mother, Sonia Gandhi, has held for the last two decades.
He was accompanied by Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Congress stumped everyone after the party announced that Rahul Gandhi would contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Rae Bareli seat. Speculations were rife that Gandhi might contest from the Amethi seat, a Congress stronghold he lost to BJP leader Smriti Irani in 2019.
The Congress has named Kishori Lal Sharma as its candidate from Amethi this time. The decision also signals that the Congress and Rahul Gandhi have destroyed the hype around Irani by fielding a senior ground worker against her.
जननायक @RahulGandhi जी ने उत्तर प्रदेश के रायबरेली से लोकसभा चुनाव का नामांकन भरा।
ये चुनाव देश में लोकतंत्र की रक्षा का चुनाव है, अन्याय को हराकर न्याय की स्थापना का चुनाव है।
The seat of Rae Bareli has been a Gandhi stronghold for generations and decades. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Feroze Gandhi, grandmother, Indira Gandhi, and mother, Sonia Gandhi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be the third generation of Gandhis to contest from Rae Bareli.
Congress leader and candidate from Rae Bareli constituency Rahul Gandhi files his nomination for the Lok Sabha elections, in Rae Bareli, Friday, May 3, 2024. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Robert Vadra are also seen. - PTI
The Gandhis have represented Rae Bareli since 1952. Feroze Gandhi won the seat in 1952 and 1957. Indira Gandhi served as the Rae Bareli Member of Parliament (MP) from 1967 to 1977. After losing the 1977 election post-emergency to Raj Narain, she returned to Parliament in 1980.
Indira Gandhi won Rae Bareli in 1980 but kept her other seat, Medak, in Andhra Pradesh. Sonia Gandhi has been the Rae Bareli MP since 2004. Close relatives Arun Nehru and Shiela Kaul have also represented this seat.
Earlier, reports surfaced that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could fight Irani for the Amethi seat. However, Priyanka chose to stay out of the polls, citing her commitment to campaigning for the party across the country.
Some analysts say Rae Bareli is a safer seat than Amethi. In the 2019 election, when Congress was wiped out from other seats in Uttar Pradesh, Sonia Gandhi managed to get 55.8% of the votes in Rae Bareli.
Also, it is imperative for Congress to have a senior leader representing the party in the north. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge (Karnataka), general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal (Kerala), and chief spokesperson Jairam Ramesh (Karnataka) are from the South.
Congress has gained significant support in South India. However, in the northern states where it is in direct competition with the BJP, it needs to increase its tally.
Rahul Gandhi has become an MP three times from Uttar Pradesh and once from Kerala.
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