In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Rahul had won from both the Rae Bareli seat in Uttar Pradesh and Wayanad seat in Kerala. Speculation had been rife over which seat he would choose to represent in the 18th Lok Sabha.
After a high-level party meeting on Monday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced that Rahul would be representing the Rae Bareli seat while Priyanka Gandhi will fight in the bypolls for the Wayanad seat.
“Rahul Gandhi was elected from two (Lok Sabha) seats. As per rules, he will have to vacate one seat and continue on one seat. Since June 18 is the last date, we have decided that Rahul should keep his Rae Bareli seat, since it has been very close to the family since a long time. He has received love from people of Wayanad, and people there want him to retain the seat but the rules do not allow it. So, after a lot of deliberations, we decided that Priyanka Gandhi should contest from Wayanad, and she has agreed for the same,” said Kharge.
Priyanka’s poll plunge
This will be the first time that Priyanka will be entering the election fray.
“I am very happy to be able to represent Wayanad. All I can say is that I won’t let them (people) feel his (Rahul Gandhi’s) absence. As Rahul said, he will come many times with me but I will work hard and I will try to make everyone happy and be a good representative. I have a special connection with Rae Bareli. I have worked for 20 years in both Rae Bareli and Amethi,” said Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Emotional connection to both seats: Rahul Gandhi
After Kharge’s announcement, Rahul said he had an “emotional connection with both Rae Bareli and Wayanad”.
“I was the Wayanad MP for the last five years and people of Wayanad gave me love, for which I thank them. Priyanka will contest from Wayanad, but I will continue to visit Wayanad and the promises we made to Wayanad … we will fulfil them. I have a long relation with Rae Bareli and I am very happy that I will be representing it. This was not an easy decision, because affection is with both (Wayanad and Raebareli),” he said.
“Priyanka Gandhi is going to fight the elections and I am confident that she is going to win the elections. The people of Wayanad can think that they have 2 Members of the Parliament, one is my sister and the other is me. My doors are always open for the people of Wayanad, I love every single person in Wayanad,” said Rahul Gandhi.
(With inputs from agencies)
