The Congress party finally ended speculation about the Raebareli seat by fielding its Wayanad member of Parliament, Rahul Gandhi, from the constituency for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. The decision was announced on May 3, the last date for filing nomination papers for the seat going to polls in the fifth phase on May 20.
Rahul has also contested the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 from Kerala’s Wayanad, the seat he won in 2019. Rahul lost the Amethi seat in 2019 to Union Minister Smriti Irani. The grand old party has this time fielded Gandhi-family loyalist KL Sharma from the Amethi seat, which is also going to polls on May 20.
But why did Rahul Gandhi choose the Raebareli seat? Well, many say Raebareli is safer than Amethi to win for Rahul.
Raebareli, a safer seat
The Gandhi family has been winning the Raebareli since 1952. Rahul’s grandfather, Feroze Gandhi, grandmother, Indira Gandhi and mother, Sonia Gandhi, have represented the seat before.
Feroze Gandhi, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s husband won the seat for the first time in 1952, and then in 1957 elections too. Later, Indira Gandhi represented the seat for ten years between 1967 and 1977. In 1980, Indira Gandhi contested from two seats – Raebareli in UP and Medak in undivided Andhra Pradesh. Indira Gandhi won both seats.
Indira Gandhi, however, vacated the Raebareli seat andretained her other seat, Medak. From 1980 onwards, Gandhi-loyalists Arun Nehru, Shiela Kaul and Captain Satish Sharma won from Raebareli until 2004 when Sonia Gandhi won the seat. Sonia has been winning the seat until 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Also Read: ‘Congress has given up on Amethi… a complete fraud on Wayanad’: BJP reacts on Rahul Gandhi’s Raebareli LS candidature
Amethi, no more a family seat
Also, many within the Congress thought that the Amethi had ceased to be a family seat after Smriti Irani defeated Rahul Gandhi in 2019.
“Rahul Gandhi had to contest from UP. Contesting from Amethi would have converted the fight into Rahul Vs Smriti. In that scenario, Rahul would have needed more time in Amethi. Raebareli remains a safer seat,” said a Congress leader.
While Rahul lost from Amethi in 2019, Sonia Gandhi retained Raebareli. Now Sonia has chosen to be a Rajya Sabha member. Rahul Gandhi, also seeking re-election from Kerala’s Wayanad, will face Bhartiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Dinesh Pratap Singh in Raebareli this time. Singh had lost to Sonia Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
KL Sharma factor
Rahul Gandhi’s decision not to contest from Amethi has invited criticism from BJP leaders, with some accusing him of ‘fleeing’ from Amethi for fear of losing to Smriti Irani again. But, to quote a Congress leader, the barbs may not last long.
“Even if KL Sharma loses, it won’t be a big deal. But what if he wins? That will be big, right? KL Sharmaji knows Amethi like the back of his hand. He is more of a Gandhi family member,” the leader said.
Also Read: KL Sharma is 3rd non-Gandhi family member picked by Congress for Amethi since 1967. Who were the other two?
In a scenario in which Rahul Gandhi wins both Rae Bareli and Wayanad seats, he must vacate one. Some leaders suggested it would be easy for him to vacate Wayanad given the family connection with Raebareli.
Vacating Wayanad?
Others feel that fleeing Wayanad will backfire since Kerala will have the assembly elections in 2026. The Congress-led United Democratic Front lost the 2021 Kerala assembly polls to the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front.
Experts say fighting from two seats is not a good idea. “The idea of two seats in never a good decision. Vacating one will have consequences,” political analyst Rasheed Kidwai told LiveMint.
There is a buzz within Congress that if Rahul wins both seats, he will vacate Raebareli. And Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is campaigning nationwide, may contest by-polls from Raebareli and take her mother’s legacy forward, a Congress leader who didn’t want to be named said.
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Published: 03 May 2024, 12:50 PM IST