The two key seats in Uttar Pradesh, Amethi and Rae Bareli, will vote in the fifth phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections on May 20. The deadline for filing nominations is May 3, but the Congress Party has yet to announce its candidates.
Despite this, the Congress leadership, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, is reportedly making last-ditch efforts to persuade either Rahul Gandhi or Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, or both, to contest in these constituencies, which are considered traditional party strongholds.
Earlier on May 1, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stated that the candidates for the two seats would be announced within 24 hours and that the party’s Central Election Committee (CEC) had empowered Kharge to make the final decision.
Some reports suggest that Rahul Gandhi may still contest from Rae Bareli, while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may opt out of the election and focus on nationwide campaigning.
The absence of a Nehru-Gandhi family member in the Uttar Pradesh elections could potentially send a negative political message, according to a report in The Indian Express.
Rahul Gandhi is contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections from Wayanad, a seat he previously won with a significant margin in 2019. Voting in Wayanad took place in the second phase of the elections on April 26.
Congress had historically dominated Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies from 1999 until the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, when Rahul Gandhi lost Amethi to Union Minister Smriti Irani. Sonia Gandhi, who had been winning the Rae Bareli seat, decided not to contest in 2024.
The Congress is contesting Uttar Pradesh’s Lok Sabha seats in alliance with the Samajwadi Party, securing 17 of the 80 seats while the remaining seats are allocated to the Samajwadi Party and other allies of the India bloc.
The final phase of the Lok Sabha Elections will be held on June 1, with results expected on June 4.
