Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is unlikely to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Raebareli seat in Uttar Pradesh, reports said. Priyanka will instead focus on campaigning for the party across the country, according to a report in India Today.
Priyanka has not contested any elections so far.
The sources have said that Priyanka's brother Rahul Gandhi is unlikely to contest from the Amethi seat in Uttar Pradesh, amid speculation over the Congress candidates for the two party bastions.
The Amethi and Raebareli seats will go to polls in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 20. The last day for filing nominations for the third phase seats is May 3. The report said that a final decision on the Congress candidates for the two seats will be announced in a day or two.
Also read: 'Confusion shows…': Amit Shah as tension over Gandhi's fight against Amethi, Raebareli escalates
In the 2019 polls, Rahul Gandhi lost Amethi to Union Minister Smriti Irani. However, Rahul contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Wayanad, a seat he also won in 2019 by a significant margin. The second phase of voting took place in Wayanad on April 26.
The Raebareli seat was represented by Rahul-Priyanka's mother, Sonia Gandhi. However, Sonia chose to be a Rajya Sabha member and decided not to contest the Lok Sabha race.
On April 29, the Congress Party's Central Election Commission (CEC) reportedly allowed party chief Mallikarjun Kharge to decide the candidates for the two constituencies. The Uttar Pradesh Congress unit has urged the top party leadership to field Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from the two seats. But, the sources say, Gandhi's family is not keen on that.
Also read: BJP, allies won over 100 seats in first two phases of Lok Sabha elections: Amit Shah
The Congress is contesting elections to Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha seats in alliance with the Samajwadi Party. The Congress has been awarded 17 of UP's 80 seats, while the remaining have been divided among the Samajwadi Party and other allies.
The final phase of the Lok Sabha elections will take place on June 1. The results will be announced on June 4.
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Published: Apr 30, 2024 3:07 PM IST