Rahul Gandhi Contests Lok Sabha from Rae Bareli; KL Sharma, Amethi
Rahul Gandhi to contest from Raebareli, while loyalist KL Sharma runs in Amethi, securing Congress strongholds in Uttar Pradesh.
The Gandhis, a prominent family in the Congress party, have decided to maintain their influence in Uttar Pradesh by contesting from their traditional strongholds. Rahul Gandhi is entering the electoral fray from Rae Bareli constituency, a seat previously held by his mother, Sonia Gandhi, who now serves as a Rajya Sabha MP. In a parallel move, Congress loyalist Kishori Lal Sharma, will run for the Amethi seat in Lok Sabha polls. Notably, Rahul had lost Amethi in 2019 to BJP's Smriti Irani, who seeks re-election from there.
Accompanied by Sonia and Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul will file his nomination on Friday to take on the BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh in Raebareli. This marks Rahul's second electoral battlefield, in addition to Wayanad in Kerala, where he currently represents the Lok Sabha.
KL Sharma, with years of experience managing elections for Sonia and Rahul in both constituencies, will also file his nomination on Friday. The electoral contests in Amethi and Raebareli are scheduled for May 20, constituting the fifth phase of the general elections.
Expressing gratitude, Sharma thanked Rahul, Sonia, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Priyanka for the opportunity to contest from their traditional seats. He emphasised Rahul's commitment to the ground and the unpredictability of electoral outcomes.
Sharma plans to meet Priyanka Gandhi, who has chosen to focus on party affairs rather than contesting elections. Congress workers, eager for the Gandhis to lead the electoral battle, support Sharma as the Amethi candidate due to his long-standing service, irrespective of party affiliations.
The Congress Working Committee delegated the decision on candidatures to party president Mallikarjun Kharge. The announcement of Rahul and Sharma's candidature came early Friday morning. The Congress' Uttar Pradesh unit had advocated for the Gandhis to contest from Raebareli and Amethi, while Robert Vadra, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's husband, had previously expressed interest in the Amethi parliamentary seat.