Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. (Image: PTI/Kamal Kishore)
Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit Wayanad and Raebareli next week to decide which seat he will keep, sources said. A final decision, however, is likely to be announced before June 17
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who won the Lok Sabha election from two seats with huge margins, is faced with a dilemma whether to retain his family bastion of Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh or continue representing the people of Wayanad constituency in Kerala who elected him in 2019 polls when he lost Amethi.
The Gandhi scion will have to take the decision soon as he is required to vacate one constituency within fourteen days of the result declaration as per the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Once a seat is vacated, a by-election will be held in that constituency.
Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit Wayanad and Raebareli next week to decide which seat he will keep, sources added. A final decision, however, is likely to be announced before June 17.
Congress sources said that Rahul Gandhi could retain the Raebareli constituency to “focus on Uttar Pradesh and take advantage of good results” after the INDIA bloc’s impressive performance in UP decimated the BJP to just 33 seats, 29 down from its 2019 tally.
Another reason why he could retain Raebareli is the seat’s 100 year old relation with his family. The seat was also represented by his mother Sonia Gandhi, who was elected to Rajya Sabha this year, from 2004 till 2024. When Sonia went to Raebareli to address a poll rally, she said, “I am handing over my son to you.”
When asked which seat Rahul Gandhi will keep, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said, “This decision has to be taken before June 17 and it will come in 3-4 days.”
Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said, “All members have demanded Rahul Gandhi become the LoP. Which seat out of Raebareli or Wayanad should he give up, that will be solely for Rahul Gandhi to decide.”
Rahul Gandhi won Raebareli by defeating BJP’s Dinesh Pratap Singh by a margin of 3,90,030 votes. He also retained the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat with a margin of 3,64,422 votes over his nearest rival, Communist Party of India-Marxist candidate Annie Raja.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi fought from Amethi and Wayanad and ended up losing the Amethi constituency in Uttar Pradesh to BJP candidate Smriti Irani. However, the Congress regained its bastion as KL Sharma defeated Irani in this election.
Meanwhile, on Saturday the top leadership of Congress on Saturday passed a one-line resolution to make Rahul Gandhi the leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Parliament at a meeting of the party’s working committee. The Congress’ top brass, including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, besides other leaders participated in the deliberations.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said that CWC unanimously requested Rahul Gandhi to take the position of the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha. “Rahul ji is the best person to lead this campaign inside the Parliament. He heard the sentiments of CWC and he will take a decision very soon,” he added.
