New Delhi: A day after filing her nomination for a Rajya Sabha seat from Rajasthan, former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi dropped sufficient hints on Thursday over her daughter Priyanka’ Gandhi Vadra’s likely debut from the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency.
“I won’t contest the coming Lok Sabha elections due to age factor and health related issues. Hence, I won’t get an opportunity to serve you directly but it is certain that my heart and soul will always be with you. I know that you will take care of me and my family through every difficulty the way you have been doing always,” Sonia Gandhi said in her letter of thanks to the Rae Bareli voters.
Sonia Gandhi filed her nomination for the Rajya Sabha seat from Rajasthan on Feb 14. She was accompanied by her son and former party chief Rahul Gandhi and daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
There has been speculation within the party that Priyanka, who had been managing the twin parliamentary constituencies of Rae Bareli and Amethi for decades may be fielded from Rae Bareli as a replacement of outgoing MP Sonia Gandhi while Rahul may contest the Amethi seat besides Wayanad in Kerala that he represents in the Lok Sabha.
Rahul had lost Amethi seat in 2019 and Sonia was the only Congress MP from Rae Bareli.
The prospect of Priyanka, who was the AICC in charge of Uttar Pradesh from 2019 to 2023, contesting the parliamentary polls has excited the local leaders who are busy preparing for a mega rally of Rahul Gandhi in Amethi on Feb 19 in which Priyanka will also take part. Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will enter UP on Feb 16 and would reach Rae Bareli on Feb 20 after being in Amethi on Feb 19.
“It is obvious that Priyanka Gandhi will contest from Rae Bareli after Sonia Gandhi moves to the Rajya Sabha. Priyanka has been managing the Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies for decades. As far as Rae Bareli in particular is concerned, she has been looking after the constituency and taking regular meetings of the district Congress committees over the past five years as Sonia Gandhi was not able to devote enough time to her parliamentary constituency,” UP MLC and local leader Deepak Singh told ETV Bharat.
“We all are very excited over the prospect of Priyanka Gandhi contesting from Rae Bareli. We want Rahul Gandhi to contest from Amethi. We are preparing for a big rally in Amethi on Feb 19. Priyanka Gandhi is also expected to attend the rally,” he said.
“There is no doubt that Rahul Gandhi is our leader and Priyanka Gandhi is a national figure. But it is for the Gandhi family to decide who contests from where,” AICC secretary in charge of UP Pradeep Narwal told this channel.
According to party insiders, in her letter of thanks to the Rae Bareli voters Sonia Gandhi flagged the family relations she and the Gandhi family had with them to strike a personal and emotional chord.
“My family is incomplete in Delhi and becomes complete only when we are in Rae Bareli and meet you. The roots of our family with Rae Bareli are deep. You elected my father-in-law Feroze Gandhi in the first Lok Sabha election from here after Independence and then you adopted mother-in-law Indira Gandhi. Since then, this bond has become stronger and our faith in it has grown,” said Sonia.
“You also gave me space to walk on this path. After losing my mother in law and my husband when I came to you, you welcomed me warmly. Over the past two elections you have stood by me like a rock despite difficult conditions and I can’t forget this. Therefore, I can say with pride that whatever I am is because of you and I have always tried to keep this trust,” she said.
Read More
