New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Indian National Congress, has confirmed his candidacy for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the Rae Bareli constituency, a seat previously held by his mother, Sonia Gandhi.
In a statement released on Friday, the party announced that Kishori Lal Sharma, a trusted aide of the Gandhi family, will contest from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat, a constituency of significant importance to the party.
Sharma, known for his close association with the Gandhis, has been entrusted with overseeing the affairs of these prestigious constituencies during their absence.
Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, current party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are scheduled to be present in Rae Bareli during the nomination filing process, as per the party’s announcement.
Both Rahul and Sharma are slated to file their nomination papers on Friday, marking the final day for nominations for these seats.
The electoral battle for these constituencies is set for May 20, constituting the fifth phase of the seven-phase general elections.
After a period of speculation, the party officially declared its candidates for the two seats early Friday, following internal deliberations that extended into Thursday. These constituencies have historically been held by members of the Gandhi-Nehru family.
On Thursday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) named Dinesh Pratap Singh as its candidate for Rae Bareli, who previously contested against Sonia Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Late Thursday evening, posters and banners featuring Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav were observed being brought to the Congress office in Gauriganj.
BJP leader Smriti Irani has already filed her nomination papers from Amethi.
Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh leadership of the Congress had urged the Gandhi family to contest both seats.
