Amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will contest from Raebareli. Meanwhile, Congress loyalist KL Sharma will contest from Amethi.
The announcement of his candidature for the seat came on Friday, the final day for filing nominations.
In the 2019 general elections, Rahul Gandhi was defeated by BJP leader Smriti Irani in this constituency. Although the Congress party has officially declared its nominees for Amethi and Raebareli. Meanwhile, these constituencies have historically been strongholds for the party.
Raebareli, in particular, was held by Sonia Gandhi. She later became a member of the Rajya Sabha. The Congress has emerged victorious from Raebareli in all but three Lok Sabha elections since 1951. Before Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had secured victories from Raebareli on three occasions. Additionally, Feroze Gandhi, a Congress leader, won from the constituency twice in 1952 and 1957.
Notably, a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family has contested the seat only twice, in 1962 and 1999.
Amethi, where Rahul Gandhi faced defeat in the 2019 elections, was once considered a Congress stronghold. His loss to Smriti Irani was considered a significant setback to the party’s national stature. From 2004 to 2019, Rahul Gandhi had represented Amethi in the Lok Sabha.
Prior to him, his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had held the seat from 1981 until his demise in 1991. Sonia Gandhi also contested and won from Amethi in 1999 before passing the baton to Rahul in 2004.
As Rahul Gandhi prepares to contest from Raebareli, currently representing Wayanad in the Lok Sabha, his opponent Smriti Irani is vying for reelection from Amethi. This sets the stage for a closely watched electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh.
Meanwhile, in Raebareli, he will be facing BJP Candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh.
Both Raebareli and Amethi have been traditional strongholds of the Gandhi-Nehru family. The members of the family have represented these constituencies for several decades.
The Congress party, in a seat-sharing agreement with the Samajwadi Party, is contesting 17 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh.
The fifth phase of the seven phase general elections will witness polls in these constituencies on 20 May.
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