Now that the Congress has decided to keep Rahul Gandhi in Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh, and field Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from the seat he is vacating, Wayanad in Kerala, political experts view this as a strategic move aimed at strengthening the party’s foothold in both the north and south.
Raebareli and Amethi stand as the bastions of the Gandhi family in Uttar Pradesh, historically represented by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi respectively. Amethi was reclaimed from the BJP by longtime Gandhi family loyalist KL Sharma, reinstating the Congress’s once formidable base in the state. This resurgence is crucial, as Uttar Pradesh, with its 80 Lok Sabha seats, holds significant political sway.
Looking ahead to the 2027 state elections, the Congress aims to build upon its recent gains. In the last Lok Sabha election, the party won just one seat, Raebareli. In 2024, the Congress increased its tally to six seats. Teaming up with Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, the alliance has a combined total of 43 seats, reducing the BJP’s presence to 33 seats in a state long considered its stronghold.
The Congress’s national footprint has also grown, nearly doubling its Lok Sabha seats from 52 in 2019 to 99 in the latest election. To sustain this momentum, Rahul Gandhi’s continued presence in Raebareli is crucial.
In the south, the Congress already governs Karnataka, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu with ally MK Stalin’s DMK. Kerala, traditionally oscillating between the Congress and the Left, voted for the latter for a second consecutive term in 2021. Anticipating anti-incumbency sentiments, the Congress aims to win the state in 2026.
In Wayanad, the presence of a Gandhi family member has worked wonders. Rahul Gandhi’s election reinvigorated the Congress and helped the party win 14 out of Kerala’s 20 seats. The party wants to nurture that connection and there is no better candidate than Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to fill in for her brother.
During the press conference on Monday announcing her electoral debut, Rahul Gandhi assured their continued presence in both states.
“You are now going to have two MPs; I will keep visiting,” he said in a message to the people of Wayanad. Gandhi Vadra echoed, “Two seats (Wayanad and Raebareli) will have two MPs each,” against the backdrop of her two-decade relationship with Raebareli. Regarding Wayanad, she added, “I won’t let the people of Wayanad feel his (Rahul Gandhi’s) absence. I will work hard, try my best to make everyone happy in Wayanad, be a good representative.”
Since Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s entry into active politics in 2019, she has been viewed as a potential challenger against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi and as a successor to Sonia Gandhi in Raebareli. In the latest election, she played a crucial role in the party’s spirited campaign, countering relentless attacks from PM Modi and other BJP leaders.
Her swift and incisive rebuttals to PM Modi’s communal remarks were remarkably effective during her party’s campaign. She passionately reminded voters of her mother’s sacrifice of her mangalsutra for the country in response to PM Modi’s controversial remarks about “gold and mangalsutra.”
Her strategic acumen, eloquence, and ability to mobilise masses were evident as she engaged in 108 public meetings and roadshows across 16 states and one union territory. She consistently urged voters to prioritise bread-and-butter issues over emotive topics like religion and caste.
The INDIA alliance secured 233 seats out of 543, with the Congress emerging as its largest constituent with 99 seats.
