Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Putting an end to all speculations, the Congress party on Friday announced its candidates from Rae Bareli and Amethi for the Lok Sabha elections. After much deliberations, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been fielded from Rae Bareli and senior leader and Gandhi family loyalist Kishori Lal Sharma from Amethi. The two will file their nomination papers today (May 3), the last date for the filing of nominations for the seats that will go to polls on May 20 in the fifth round of the seven-phase general elections.
Rae Bareli: Rahul Gandhi Vs Dinesh Pratap Singh
Meanwhile, preparations are in full swing as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi gears up for a grand roadshow scheduled prior to filing his nomination today in Rae Bareli. With fervent enthusiasm, his supporters are rallying behind him, showcasing their unwavering commitment to his candidacy. Gandhi will take on BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh at this seat. Singh had lost to Sonia Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Gandhi family loyalist from Amethi
KL Sharma, a trusted confidant of the Gandhi family, has also served as the representative for Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareli constituency during her tenure as MP. He is the first 'non-Gandhi' to contest Lok Sabha polls from Amethi in over two decades. However, Sharma faces a formidable challenge as his opponent is BJP MP from Amethi and Union Minister Smriti Irani. In 2019, Rahul Gandhi had contested the election from Amethi against Smriti Irani but lost by a margin of 56,000 votes. Rahul Gandhi represented Amethi in the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2019. His father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, too, was an elected member of Amethi in the Lower House from 1981 till his death in 1991.
A look at Amethi, Rae Bareli seats
The Amethi seat has been represented by Rahul Gandhi since 2004 and he remained a member of Parliament from the constituency for three consecutive terms till 2019 when he was defeated by BJP's Smriti Irani. Rahul Gandhi currently represents the Wayanad constituency in Kerala from where he had also contested in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The Raebareli constituency was represented by Sonia Gandhi from 2004 to 2024. Prior to that, Sonia Gandhi had represented the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency after she entered politics and contested for the first time in 1999. The seat has previously been represented by Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. Notably, the Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies go to polls on May 20 in the fifth round of the seven-phase general elections.
ALSO READ: BJP drops Brij Bhushan, fields his son from Kaiserganj, picks Dinesh Pratap Singh for Rae Bareli
ALSO READ: Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Smriti Irani files nomination as BJP candidate from Amethi
