Lok Sabha Election 2024: Congress releases another poll list, no mention of Amethi, Raebareili yet

Suspense over Congress’ candidates from Amethi and Raebareili continues as the party has not yet announced any names from the two traditional Nehru-Gandhi family seats.

The window for filing nomination ends on May 3 and both constituencies will vote on May 20.

In the new list, four candidates have been named which include actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar from the Gurgaon constituency and former Union Minister Anand Sharma from the Kangra constituency in Himachal Pradesh.

Reportedly, both Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra appear reluctant to contest, and last-minute efforts are said to be on to convince the two, or at least one of them to contest the election.

The Congress leadership wants both Rahul and Priyanka to contest and has not shortlisted any other name for the two seats.

The state leadership in Uttar Pradesh has already urged the central election committee and the party leadership to field Rahul Gandhi from Amethi and Priyanka from Rae Bareli. The CEC members had also supported the view of the Uttar Pradesh Congress during the last meeting of the CEC on Saturday.

According to the sources cited by media, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is keen to contest from the Rae Bareli seat and her candidature is likely to be announced soon, once the party leadership takes a final call on the seat.

If Priyanka contests, will be the eighth member of the Nehru-Gandhi family to enter electoral politics from the Congress.

The Congress had been winning Amethi and Raebareli successively since 1999 but suffered a huge setback in 2019 when Rahul, who won the Amethi seat thrice between 2004 and 2014, lost the seat by over 55,000 votes. 

A section of the party believes Priyanka should contest from Amethi against sitting MP and Union minister Smriti Irani and Rahul should move to Raebareli, reported The Indian Express.

While Sonia retained Raebareli, the only Congress candidate who managed to win in Uttar Pradesh, her margin came down to 1.69 lakh votes from 3.52 lakh in 2014. Sonia had been winning the seat since 2004.