Congress announced on Monday that Rahul Gandhi, after winning the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat earlier this month by a significant margin, will now relinquish it, opting to retain the Rae Bareli constituency in Uttar Pradesh, a stronghold of his family. This decision paves the way for his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, to enter electoral politics by contesting the bypolls from the Kerala constituency. Gandhi expressed his emotions, acknowledging that leaving Wayanad was a tough choice.
In his first reaction to this development, Gandhi mentioned his emotional ties with both Wayanad and Rae Bareli. “I have an emotional connection with Wayanad and Rae Bareli. I was an MP from Wayanad for the last 5 years. I thank the people for their love and support,” he stated, adding that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will contest the elections from Wayanad, but he will visit periodically.
“I have an old relationship with Rae Bareli, I am happy that I will get to represent them again but it was a tough decision,” he remarked.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who entered active politics before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, vowed not to let Wayanad feel Rahul Gandhi’s absence. “I am very happy to be able to represent Wayanad and I will not let them feel his (Rahul Gandhi’s) absence,” she stated. “I have a very old relationship with Rae Bareli and Amethi, and it cannot be broken. I will also help my brother in Rae Bareli. We will both be present in Rae Bareli and Wayanad,” she added.
The brother-sister duo warmly embraced each other after the press conference.
Rahul Gandhi, who lost the Lok Sabha elections from Amethi in 2019 but won the Wayanad seat in Kerala, contested the 2024 general elections from both Wayanad and Rae Bareli. He emerged victorious in both constituencies with significant margins.
