Rahul Gandhi Files for Nomination from Raebareli

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has filed his nomination from the Raebareli Constituency for the Lok Sabha Elections for the year 2024 in the fternoon of 3 May. The deadline to file for the two seats was today.

Accompanied by top party leaders including Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, and her husband, businessman Robert Vadra, Rahul Gandhi’s nomination marks a strategic move by the Congress party amidst ongoing electoral dynamics.

The decision to field Rahul Gandhi from Raebareli comes as Sonia Gandhi recently vacated the seat upon her election as a member of the Rajya Sabha. Rahul’s candidacy pits him against Congress defector and three-time MLC Dinesh Pratap Singh in Raebareli. As a sitting MP from Kerala’s Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi is seeking re-election in the Lower House from a constituency that polled in the second phase of the general elections on April 26.

Smriti Irani construed Rahul Gandhi’s candidature from Raebareli as a “victory” for the people in Amethi, attributing it to the developmental strides witnessed in the region under the Modi government. She reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier assertions about Congress leadership seeking a safe seat for Rahul Gandhi post-Kerala elections, suggesting a departure from the electoral battlefield.

Meanwhile, in Amethi, the Congress has nominated Kishori Lal Sharma, a longtime loyalist of the Gandhi family, to represent the party in the Lok Sabha elections. Sharma filed his nomination from Amethi earlier in the day, gearing up for a showdown with Union Minister Smriti Irani.

His nomination brings an end to the speculation surrounding his candidacy against BJP’s Smriti Irani in Amethi. The decision marks a significant shift in electoral strategy for the Congress party, positioning Rahul Gandhi in his mother Sonia Gandhi’s former stronghold.

Both Raebareli and Amethi are slated for polling in the fifth phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections on May 7. The electoral process in other regions, including Gujarat, is also underway, with voting scheduled for May 7 and the counting of votes set for June 4.

Rahul Gandhi’s move to contest from Rae Bareli underscores the dynamic nature of electoral politics in India, where strategic considerations and shifting alliances often dictate campaign tactics. His decision to forego Amethi, a seat he held for multiple terms before his defeat to Smriti Irani in the 2019 elections, signifies a recalibration of Congress’ electoral priorities.

Also read: Kishori Lal Sharma Files For Nomination From The Amethi Constituency