E-Paper
Sonia’s RS shift fuels Priyanka-from-Rae Bareli demand
Rae Bareli is the only constituency Congress won in 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh that sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha.
After Congress chief and Rae Bareli MP Sonia Gandhi’s move to shift to Rajya Sabha, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra appears to be the ideal replacement in a constituency that has been a Congress bastion.
Rae Bareli is the only constituency Congress won in 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh that sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha.
There is however no official word yet on the issue as senior party leaders have remained tightlipped on the issue. They however concede that there is growing demand for either Priyanka Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi to contest from Rae Bareli. “Rae Bareli is the Gandhi family’s seat. It will remain with the family,” said Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Rai.
Like Rae Bareli, Amethi too was a Congress bastion until Union minister Smriti Irani won the Lok Sabha seat after defeating Rahul Gandhi in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Rahul, however, won from the other constituency Wayanad in Kerala and from where he is a Lok Sabha MP.
“There is a demand for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Ji to contest from Rae Bareli. People also want Rahul Gandhi Ji to contest from there or Amethi. It is for them (Gandhi family) to decide,” said Sonia Gandhi’s Lok Sabha representative KL Sharma.
District Congress Committee Rae Bareli president Pankaj Tiwari said, “We have a mixed emotional feeling knowing that Sonia Gandhi has decided to take the Rajya Sabha route. We are happy for her. At the same time, we feel sad she will no longer be the Rae Bareli MP.”
He said, “The people of Rae Bareli want a Gandhi family member, be it Rahul or Priyanka, to represent them on the seat.”
Former MLC Deepak Singh was confident of Priyanka Gandhi contesting from Rae Bareli. “This is what the people of Rae Bareli want. In Amethi, people want Rahul Gandhi to contest,” he said.
“Rae Bareli is the traditional seat of the Congress. Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi represented this seat in Lok Sabha. The Congress should not leave this seat. As there is no other local candidate of this stature Priyanka Gandhi will be a good choice,” said professor SK Dwivedi, former head of department, Lucknow University.
