Rahul Gandhi Set to Contest Rai Bareli, Kishori Lal Sharma to Represent Congress in Amethi
After Much Speculation, Congress Unveils Candidates for Rai Bareli and Amethi: Rahul Gandhi and Kishori Lal Sharma to Contest Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
New Delhi 03 May 2024: In a significant development ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, the Indian National Congress has finally announced its candidates for the crucial constituencies of Rai Bareli and Amethi. Rahul Gandhi, scion of the Gandhi family, has been nominated to contest from the Rai Bareli Constituency, while Kishori Lal Sharma will represent the party in Amethi.
The announcement comes after days of anticipation and pressure from both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress workers alike. BJP leaders had been taunting the Congress for its delay in declaring candidates for these two important Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, there were demands from Congress workers for Rahul Gandhi to contest from Amethi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Rae Bareli. However, the Central Election Committee of the Congress had kept the names of the candidates under wraps until today’s morning announcement.
Kishori Lal Sharma, the Congress party’s candidate for the Amethi constituency, is set to file his nomination papers today. Amethi has historically been a stronghold of the Gandhi family until the 2019 general elections, when Rahul Gandhi faced defeat at the hands of BJP’s Smriti Irani.
Rahul Gandhi, who had represented Amethi in the Lower House of Parliament from 2004 until 2019, will now be contesting from the family stronghold of Rae Bareli. This constituency was previously represented by his mother, Sonia Gandhi, from 2004 to 2024. Earlier this year, Sonia Gandhi vacated the Rae Bareli seat and moved to the Rajya Sabha, leading to speculation about Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s potential candidacy from the constituency.
Who is Kishori Lal Sharma?
Kishori Lal Sharma, a native of Punjab, has a long-standing association with the Congress party and the Gandhi family. He first arrived in Amethi as a Congress worker in 1983 and has since been closely involved with the party’s activities in the region. Following the demise of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, Sharma continued to work tirelessly for the Congress cause in Amethi, even during periods when the Gandhi family refrained from direct electoral politics in the 1990s.
Sharma’s influence and dedication to the Congress party were highlighted by his pivotal role in securing Sonia Gandhi’s first electoral victory in 1999, when she entered Parliament with a triumph in Amethi. Following Sonia Gandhi’s shift to Rae Bareli, Sharma relocated to the city alongside her, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to the party’s mission.
The upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024 are expected to witness intense battles in Rai Bareli and Amethi, with Rahul Gandhi and Kishori Lal Sharma gearing up to represent the Congress party against formidable opponents from the BJP. As the political landscape evolves, all eyes will be on these key constituencies to see which way the electoral winds will blow.
