Congress Announces Rahul Gandhi From Rae Bareli, KL Sharma From Amethi; Priyanka Opts Out

After strong speculation, Congress has announced Rahul Gandhi as the Lok Sabha candidate from Rae Bareli. Congress party’s Rae Bareli local leader and incharge of the constituency when Sonia Gandhi was MP, KL Sharma has been named as Amethi candidate as Priyanka Gandhi refused to contest the elections. The seats were previously held by Rahul Gandhi and party’s former chief Sonia Gandhi.

Since 1980 (with the exception of 1998 and 2019), the Gandhi family or Congress nominees have successfully won 11 elections in Amethi. Perhaps the most prominent face of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi, won the elections in 2004 from Amethi at a time when many expected his younger sister to join politics. After the 2014 defeat of the party, Rahul became the subject of many jokes, making him seem to be a non-serious leader. Losing Amethi as well, he quit as leader, taking responsibility for the party’s loss, but remained as the Wayanad MP.

Making a comeback, the Congress leader began his Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2022, travelling across the nation with notable personalities and political leaders, addressing rallies, and interacting with citizens. With social justice, unity, and economic development as the main issues, the movement helped improve Congress’ performance in elections, securing a majority in the Himachal Pradesh assembly elections and subsequent elections in Karnataka and Telangana in 2023.

The former Congress president was elected three times from Amethi before 2019. Meanwhile, the party has feilded Kishorilal Sharma, an influential representative of the Nehru-Gandhi family in Amethi and Rae Bareli for over two decades.

This recent development has come on the last day of filing nominations for two seats which will go to polls on May 20. 

Meanwhile, the party has fielded Kishorilal Sharma, an influential representative of the Nehru-Gandhi family in Amethi and Rae Bareli for over two decades. 

 According to party leaders, after losing the Amethi seat in 2019, it is no longer considered to be a family seat and hence decided to shift Rahul Gandhi to Amethi. If the Congress leader wins both the seats, it will be easier for him to give up the Kerala constituency. 

The Congress’s announcement came hours after the BJP announced Uttar Pradesh minister Dinesh Pratap Singh as the candidate from Rae Bareli. Meanwhile, Irani has already filed a nomination from Amethi. 

The family’s rooted connection with Amethi began in 1980 when Sanjay Gandhi entered Parliament from the seat in his electoral debut. After Sanjay’s death, Rajiv made his electoral debut from Amethi in 1981 and held onto the seat till his death in 1991. The Gandhis were later back to the constituency in 1999 when Sonia Gandhi made her electoral debut after an eight-year break.