Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Rahul Gandhi on Friday filed his nomination from Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli, which has remained a Congress' bation for long. By announcing candidates for Rae Bareli and Amethi, the Congress has finally put an end to all the speculations which were making the rounds that Rahul would contest from Amethi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Rae Bareli. From Amethi, the Congress has picked party loyalist Kishori Lal Sharma.
Why Rahul Gandhi has been fielded from Rae Bareli, let's take a look:
- By announcing Rahul Gandhi's candidature from Rae Bareli, Sonia Gandhi wants to give a message to the people that he will be her successor since the Congress patriarch has moved to Rajya Sabha.
- The Congress didn't want to make it as Rahul vs Smriti, as it feels that he is a bigger leader than Irani.
- Compared to Amethi, Rae Bareli is a safer seat for Rahul Gandhi.
- Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has been pressurising the Gandhis to contest the election from Uttar Pradesh as it would add momentum in the polls.
- If Congress hadn't put Gandhis in the race in Rae Bareli, it would have seemed like giving up on this seat but by fielding Rahul, the 'Grand Old Party' has given a message that they are still in the race.
Rae Bareli has remained loyal to the Gandhis since 1999. In 1998 and 1996, BJP claimed victory on this seat but prior to that, it was once again Congress. Except the Janata Party and BJP, no other party has ever managed to register victory in Rae Bareli.
In 2019 elections, Sonia Gandhi defeated BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh by a margin of 1,67,178 votes. This time in 2024, it's going to be Rahul Gandhi vs Dinesh Pratap Singh.
Rahul Gandhi had lost from the adjoining Amethi constituency in 2019, but won from Wayanad in Kerala – a seat he is contesting this time as well.
While filing his nomination, Rahul was accompanied by Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as he filed his papers around 2 pm on the last day for filing nominations for the May 20 phase of polling.
Gandhi’s brother-in-law Robert too was with him. Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot accompanied the family. The leaders arrived at the Fursatganj airport in Amethi, and then headed for adjoining Rae Bareli. A large number of Congress workers, and those from other I.N.D.I.A bloc partners, turned up at the district collectorate to cheer the former party president.
Rahul Gandhi is contesting from the seat that has been held by his mother Sonia Gandhi, his grandmother Indira Gandhi and his grandfather Feroze Gandhi in the past.
ALSO READ | Rahul Gandhi files nomination from Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat in presence of Sonia, Priyanka Gandhi
