Sonia Gandhi Embarks on Political Odyssey

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi left her residence early on Wednesday morning for Rajasthan from where she set to file her nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections. She was first elected in 1999 after taking over as the Congress president. The former Congress president will represent Congress from Rajasthan in the upper House of Parliament. The Rajya Sabha election is to be held on February 27. It will be the 77-year-old leader’s first term in the Upper House after serving five terms as a Lok Sabha MP. Sonia Gandhi, who was Congress president for almost 22 years between 1998 and 2022, is a five-time Lok Sabha MP.
According to sources, her son Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge will accompany her when she files her nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections in Jaipur.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was last elected to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan, will retire in April this year.
Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had also been a member of Rajya Sabha.
Sonia Gandhi has been repeatedly elected to Lok Sabha from Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh.
The move to file nominations for Rajya Sabha comes ahead of Lok Sabha polls expected to be held in April-May this year.
The Congress is yet to announce candidates for the biennial elections for 56 seats from 15 states. The last date for filing nominations is February 15.
The Election Commission last month declared the schedule for the biennial poll for 56 Rajya Sabha seats and voting will take place on February 27.The seat will fall vacant after former prime minister Manmohan Singh completes his six-year tenure in April. However, the Congress has yet to formally declare any candidate for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections.Sonia Gandhi’s choice of Rajasthan reflects her commitment to strengthening the party’s presence in diverse regions of the country. The move not only underscores her confidence in connecting with the electorate in Rajasthan but also signifies the party’s strategic vision to consolidate support in states beyond traditional strongholds.