New Delhi, Apr 30: The filing of nomination papers started on April 26 but the suspense around the Congress candidates for two prestigious Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, Amethi and Rae Bareli, is carrying on.
While some believe that the two “original members” of the Gandhi family—Rahul Gandhi and sister Priyanka Vadra— will stake claim on the family boroughs to “send a positive message” to party leaders and cadres as well as voters, rumours are abound on the possibility of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka's husband Robert Vadra being fielded from there.
Though state leaders certainly want Rahul and Priyanka to contest from Amethi and Rae Bareli, respectively, to pep-up cadres as well as voters, the buzz also is that Priyanka may sit out to “concentrate on campaigning”.
The nomination for the two seats started on April 26 and the last date of filing it is May 3.
The two constituencies poll on May 20 in the fifth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha election in the country.
Will they, won't they?
Congress leaders say as far as Rae Bareli is concerned, “Priyanka had been managing the constituency for her mother, she knows it inside out and people there also know her. So even in the case of last minute decision, it will all be under control”.
Likewise Amethi, they say that “voters there know Rahul Gandhi well. Everything will be finalised soon, within next 24 hours,” they add.
Apparently, the BJP had also asked party leader Varun Gandhi (after denying him ticket from Pilibhit where he was the sitting MP) to contest from Rae Bareli in case Priyanka files nomination from there. He, however, declined the offer, say sources.
Congress' dilemma
While Congress leaders claim that delay in the process does not necessarily mean “confusion in the party as their rivals are alleging,” observers point to a possible “dilemma” that may be delaying the decisions by the Congress leadership.
“Priyanka and Rahul both contesting mean there may be three members of the family in the Parliament, that is provided they both win. Mother Sonia Gandhi is already in the Rajya Sabha and this situation will give the BJP new ammunition against the family,” they add.
Which is why Congress may be contemplating fielding Rahul from Amethi and letting Priyanka concentrate on campaigning.
“Moreover, if Rahul wins Amethi, which seat will be abandon, Amethi or Wayanad. Besides, Priyanka is emerging as a top campaigner for the party and fielding her from a constituency may limit her. Plus, if she loses the very first election, it will not augur well for either her political career or party's morale,” they add.
Congress' delay to BJP's advantage?
While the BJP is making the most of the delay, Congress' detractors also point that for the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the party's first list of candidates from Uttar Pradesh included both Amethi and Rae Bareli.
Clearly, the Congress leadership is “scared of exposing top leaders to the humiliation of a defeat”, they claim.
In 2019, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and son Rahul returned to reclaim the two seats considered as “traditional bastions” of the party.
While Sonia won Rae Bareli, Rahul lost Amethi to BJP's Smriti Irani.
“Gandhis knew the situation in Amethi then, they know it now. If Rahul had not contested from Wayanad in Kerala in 2019, he would have had to sit out of the Lok Sabha for the last five years,” they add.
As per them, the situation in Rae Bareli was also turned “shaky”, why is why Sonia chose the Rajya Sabha path to remain an MP while Rahul returned to Wayanad in 2024, which he won in 2019.
Meanwhile, Rahul's brother-in-law Robert also seems to be keen on Amethi, say sources.
So far as Kharge is concerned, the Congress may consider him to encash his biggest calling card, his caste, they add.
