Newly appointed Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai on Friday said that former party chief Rahul Gandhi will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha election from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
Additionally, his sibling and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has the freedom to choose her constituency within the State and may consider challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat, he said.
“Rahul will definitely contest the Lok Sabha election from Amethi, the people of Amethi are here,” Rai said, addressing reporters in Varanasi shortly after his arrival from Delhi.
Rai also claimed that if Priyanka expresses her interest, she can stand for election in Varanasi or any other suitable location.
“If Priyanka has the desire to fight from Varanasi, every single worker will work wholeheartedly for her,” said the Uttar Pradesh Congress president.
There is a buzz in the Congress circle that Priyanka might may contest from the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency, currently represented by her mother, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
This speculation arises due to Sonia’s possible retirement from active politics due to health concerns.
Amethi, a longstanding stronghold of the Gandhi family, saw a shift in the 2019 general election when BJP’s Smriti Irani defeated Rahul, who had represented the seat since 2004. Rahul is currently an MP from Wayanad in Kerala.
Sonia remains the only Congress parliamentarian from UP, representing Rae Bareli.
After the State polls last year, the party’s presence dwindled to just two seats out of the 403-member UP House.
Ajay Rai, an upper-caste Bhumihar, had previously contested against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He was appointed as the UP Congress chief, replacing Dalit leader Brijlal Khabri.
When asked about his appointment in relation to his previous contests against Narendra Modi, Rai responded, “This is the result of my continued struggle, someone who went to jail, who has been continuously exposing the wrong, Ajay Rai is the ‘sipahi’ of Rahul Gandhi. This struggle will be fought all over the State.”
Referring to Irani, who defeated Rahul in the last election, Rai said that she appears frustrated. He reminded her promise made by her to the voters of Amethi to provide sugar at Rs 13 per kg.
“Did she manage it? People from Amethi are here, ask them,” he said.
