People want Rahul Gandhi to contest from Amethi: New UPCC chief

I did not say that Rahul Gandhi will contest from Amethi. I only said workers and people are demanding that Rahul Gandhi should contest from Amethi,” Rai later clarified

Within hours of stating that senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi would contest from Amethi in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, newly appointed Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) chief Ajay Rai retracted his statement on Friday and clarified that he only said people and workers wanted the Gandhi scion to contest from Amethi.

Rai, who replaced Brijlal Khabri as the president of the state Congress unit, is considered an aggressive leade (File)

“Rahul Gandhi will contest from Amethi. Priyanka ji can contest from Varanasi if she wishes...” Rai was heard saying in a video posted by news agency ANI on X (previously Twitter) on Friday. He was responding to questions from media persons in Ghazipur, where he attended a programme organised to pay tributes to martyrs.

“I did not say that Rahul Gandhi will contest from Amethi. I only said workers and people are demanding that Rahul Gandhi should contest from Amethi,” said the UPCC chief later clarified during a phone conversation with HT.

About Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, he said, “Priyanka ji may contest from anywhere, be it Varanasi or Amethi. It is for Priyanka Ji to decide.”

Rai, who replaced Brijlal Khabri as the president of the state Congress unit, is considered an aggressive leader who contested against prime minister Narendra Modi in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He faces the challenge of reviving the Congress in Uttar Pradesh ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Last elections, the Congress was able to secure a meagre 6.31 per cent of votes and won only the Rae Bareli constituency in Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha.