New Delhi: The never-ending suspense over whether Rahul Gandhi will contest from Amethi or if his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will make her electoral debut from Raebareli constituency is set to end.
Congress’ Central Election Committee (CEC) has empowered Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to take a decision on whom to field in these prestigious seats of Uttar Pradesh, and will be announced within 24 hours, party leader and spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said.
“Nobody is scared, no one is running away,” Ramesh said, referring to multiple taunts from BJP leaders, including Union minister and sitting Amethi MP Smriti Irani, targeting Rahul.
Rahul won the Amethi set in 2004, 2009 and 2014, before losing to Irani 2019. The Congress leader, however, had contested from a second seat and won from Wayanad, Kerala.
This time, Rahul is seeking re-election from Wayanad. But till the last list released by Congress on Tuesday, there was no mention of Amethi or Raebareli. Sonia Gandhi, a four-time MP from Raebareli, has decided not to contest in Lok Sabha elections, leading to speculation that her daughter Priyanka could be fielded from the Congress bastion.
Congress workers in Amethi held a protest on Tuesday over the delay in announcement of its candidate.
“Amethi mange Gandhi parivar (Amethi demands the Gandhi family)” were raised by Congress workers who sat on a protest outside the party office.
Polling for both seats will take place on May 20, the fifth phase. The last date for filing nominations for fifth-phase election is May 3.
