Rahul Gandhi to Run for Lok Sabha Elections in Rae Bareli, KL Sharma Nominated for Amethi

NEW DELHI, May 3: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been named as the party’s candidate for the Lok Sabha election in the Rae Bareli constituency, previously held by his mother Sonia Gandhi. Kishori Lal Sharma, a trusted aide of the Gandhi family, has been selected to contest from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat, as announced by the party in a statement on Friday. Sharma has played a significant role in overseeing the affairs of these two prestigious constituencies in the absence of the Gandhis. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, current party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are expected to accompany Rahul and Sharma during the nomination filing process, scheduled for Friday, the final day for nomination submissions. The nominations of Rahul and Sharma come ahead of the voting day on May 20, slated for the fifth phase of the seven-phase general elections. The announcement of the candidates for these two seats concludes days of speculation within the party ranks. These constituencies have traditionally been represented by members of the Gandhi-Nehru family. On Thursday, the BJP declared Dinesh Pratap Singh as its candidate for Rae Bareli, a seat he contested and lost against Sonia Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Late in the evening, posters and banners featuring Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav were brought to the Congress office in Gauriganj, indicating preparations for the upcoming contest. Meanwhile, BJP leader Smriti Irani has already submitted her nomination papers from Amethi. Earlier, the Congress leadership in Uttar Pradesh had urged the Gandhi family to contest from both constituencies.