Rae Bareli remains a focal point of intrigue, embodying the rich electoral history and the ever-evolving political landscape of Uttar Pradesh

There were constant speculations that Sonia Gandhi might contest the elections from Medak, Telangana. Months ago, Telangana Congress had passed a similar proposal and sent it to Delhi. Since the Medak constituency had also supported former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in bad times.  Because after Amethi was out of control, positive messages were not coming from Rae Bareli also.  That too ever since BJP felt a public wave in entire UP after Ram Mandir Pran Pratistha. Sensing such a situation, senior Congress leaders advised Sonia Gandhi to come from Rajya Sabha.  To which Sonia Gandhi also agreed.  Since former Congress President Sonia Gandhi's announcement after her Rajya Sabha nomination in Jaipur that she will not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Rae Bareli, Priyanka Gandhi accompanying her brother for most of the UP part of Rahul Yatra has given rise to speculations that she will contest her Lok Sabha election from Rae Bareli.  Can contest elections from mother's former seat Rae Bareli. Senior Congress leaders said Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is likely to join the yatra along with her brother Rahul Gandhi, whose Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will enter Uttar Pradesh via Chandauli on Friday.  In an emotional letter to the people of her parliamentary constituency Rae Bareli, Sonia Gandhi informed them about her decision not to contest the elections from the Congress stronghold.  “Whatever I am today is because of you... but due to old age and health, I will not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections,” Sonia Gandhi wrote a day after filing her Rajya Sabha nomination papers from Rajasthan. Thanking the people of Rae Bareli for their continued support, he wrote, “Our family has very deep roots in Rae Bareli. I am proud to say that whatever I am today is because of you... I know that you will stand by me and my family in the future as well as in the past.  This gesture strengthens Priyanka Gandhi's Rae Bareli entry.

Sonia Gandhi, who had won from Rae Bareli in the last four consecutive elections, said.  According to the program of the Congress Party, the Congress Yatra will reach Amethi on February 19 and Rae Bareli the next day.  As part of the new route of travel in UP, Rahul will spend six days in the state before entering Madhya Pradesh from Jhansi on February 22, the state Will cover parts of Eastern, Central and Bundelkhand regions.  Which is politically important. The situation in Rae Bareli has continuously deteriorated in the last few days. During the UP elections in 2022, the strength of the Samajwadi Party was seen increasing in Rae Bareli.  At the same time, Aditi Singh, who joined the BJP from Congress, won from Rae Bareli Sadar seat.  BJP won for the first time in the Congress fort.  Even in the Modi-Yogi wave of 2014 and 2019, the BJP was not successful in conquering the fort of Rae Bareli.  But now the situation in Congress ground is not good.  In the review conducted by the top leadership of Congress, questions are being raised about the party's victory on this seat after Sonia Gandhi left the seat. In such a situation, there is confusion on the part of the party leadership about fielding Priyanka Gandhi in the election field.  It is believed that the party may change its strategy.  It is also being claimed quoting senior leaders that Priyanka Gandhi herself does not want to contest elections from Rae Bareli.  In that situation, it is also being claimed that under the alliance, this seat can also go to SP. Rae Bareli has been the traditional seat of the Gandhi family and their friends.

The electoral history from 1952 to 2014 clearly says that Congress has lost only three times, in the rest big personalities like Firoz Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Sheila Kaul, Arun Nehru, and Satish Sharma have won elections from here .Whereas from the opposition, faces like Rajmata Vijayraje Scindia, Mahipal Shastri, Janeshwar Mishra, and Savita Ambedkar have had to face defeat here.

(The writer is a senior journalist, views are personal.)