By – Prakarsh Kastwar
Following Rahul Gandhi’s defeat in Amethi the previous time, and Sonia Gandhi’s recent election to the Rajya Sabha, the question of who will represent the Congress in the Lok Sabha seats of Amethi and Rae Bareli, which are strongholds of the Gandhi family, has emerged. However, these rumors have come to a stop.
On the last day of nominations, the Congress announced its candidates for the Raebareli and Amethi Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. The last date for nominations on both of these seats is Friday. In such a situation, the party has decided at the last minute that Rahul Gandhi would contest for Rae Bareli and Kishori Lal Sharma for Amethi Lok Sabha seat. KL Sharma has been Sonia Gandhi’s representative. This brought an end to speculation that Priyanka Gandhi could participate in the elections. Congress made an official pronouncement on Friday morning.
Rahul returns to UP from Sonia’s seat.
Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi contested for the Amethi seat until the 1999 Lok Sabha elections. In 2004, he quit this seat for Rahul and went to Rae Bareli. Rahul won easily over Amethi in the 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha elections. In 2014, Smriti Irani competed with Rahul but was unable to defeat him. However, in 2019, Rahul contested for Wayanad alongside Amethi. He was defeated by Smriti Irani in Amethi, but he won the Lok Sabha seat from Wayanad. Following this, the party decided to send Sonia Gandhi to the Rajya Sabha in 2024 and contest Rahul from her usual seat of Rae Bareli.
Rahul Gandhi is fighting as well.
from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala. Last time, he only won from Wayanad. Wayanad people were voting their casting votes. Voting in Amethi and Rae Bareli will take place on May 20. The last day for nomination is May 3. Rahul and Sharma will file nomination papers on Friday. Voting in both of these seats will take place on May 20 as part of the fifth phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections, with the last day for nominations is today, Friday.
BJP nominated the candidate from Amethi-Rae Bareli.
The Bharatiya Janata Party announced Union Minister Smriti Irani as its candidate for Amethi. Smriti also filed her nomination papers on April 29. At the same time, Dinesh Pratap Singh of Rae Bareli has been offered a ticket by the BJP.