In a significant development for the Congress party, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is set to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Wayanad. This announcement comes after Rahul Gandhi, who won from both Wayanad and Raebareli in the previous elections, decided to resign from his Wayanad seat. The decision was revealed by AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge.
Rahul Gandhi expressed his deep gratitude to the people of Wayanad, stating that he will always cherish their support and will continue to visit Wayanad with Priyanka. He assured the people of Wayanad that the promises made to them will be fulfilled and expressed his contentment in continuing as an MP from Raebareli.
In the previous election, there were speculations that Priyanka Gandhi might contest from Raebareli, but unexpectedly, the AICC announced Rahul's candidature. Raebareli has been a stronghold for Congress, with Sonia Gandhi serving as the MP before Rahul. Since 1951, Congress candidates have only lost three times in this segment.
Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi won from Raebareli three times, and before her, Feroze Gandhi, a prominent Congress leader, won twice. Except for 1962 and 1999, members of the Nehru-Gandhi family have contested from this constituency. Feroze Gandhi won the first and second elections in 1952 and 1957. After nearly a decade, Indira Gandhi won twice consecutively. In 1977, Raj Narayan from the Janata Party won, but Indira Gandhi reclaimed the seat in 1980. Following her, Arun Nehru and Sheila Kaul each won twice for Congress. BJP's Ashok Singh broke Congress's winning streak by winning in 1996-98. In 1999, Congress candidate Satish Sharma won, and from 2004 to 2019, Sonia Gandhi won five times, including the 2006 by-election. Overall, from 1952 to 2019, Congress lost only three times in Raebareli.
In the 2019 elections, Rahul Gandhi secured a significant victory in Wayanad. Now, with Priyanka Gandhi contesting from Wayanad, it marks a strategic move for the Congress party, aiming to consolidate their presence and strengthen their foothold in these key constituencies.
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