In a much-awaited development, the Congress Party has finally announced its candidates for the historic constituencies of Raebareli and Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, just ahead of the nomination deadline on May 3. Rahul Gandhi is set to contest from Raebareli, taking over the baton from Sonia Gandhi who has been nominated for the Rajya Sabha. Kishore Lal Sharma, a trusted aide of the Gandhi family, will be the face for Amethi.
The suspense over these announcements was maintained until the eleventh hour, adding to the dramatic political atmosphere. The stakes are incredibly high this time around, especially after the 2019 defeat where Rahul Gandhi lost Amethi to BJP's Smriti Irani. However, Rahul has shown resilience by bouncing back and winning a seat from Wayanad by a substantial margin.
The political landscape in these constituencies has been traditionally dominated by the Congress, but the 2019 results have intensified the battle. With Priyanka Gandhi rumored to contest, it eventually turned out that the party placed its bets on Rahul, reflecting a strategic move to consolidate experienced leadership in these crucial seats.
