Rahul Gandhi from Raebareli: Congress party's strategy behind the move explained

Rahul Gandhi to Contest from Raebareli: The Congress party has put an end to speculation regarding the Raebareli seat by nominating its Wayanad Member of Parliament, Rahul Gandhi, as the candidate for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. This decision was made public on May 3, the final day for submitting nomination papers for the seat, which will go to polls in the fifth phase on May 20.

Rahul Gandhi is also contesting the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 from Kerala's Wayanad, a seat he won in 2019. Rahul, who has been a Member of Parliament (MP) three times from Amethi, lost the seat in 2019 to Union Minister Smriti Irani. In the current elections, the Congress party has nominated KL Sharma, a loyalist of the Gandhi family, from the Amethi seat, which is also up for polls on May 20.

But why did Rahul Gandhi opt for the Raebareli seat? Many believe that Raebareli is a more secure constituency for Rahul Gandhi to win.

Raebareli is considered a safer seat

The Gandhi family has held the Raebareli seat since 1952. Rahul's grandfather, Feroze Gandhi, his grandmother, Indira Gandhi, and his mother, Sonia Gandhi, have all represented this constituency in the past.

Feroze Gandhi, the husband of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, won the seat in 1952 and also in the 1957 elections. Later, Indira Gandhi herself represented Raebareli for ten years from 1967 to 1977. In 1980, Indira Gandhi contested from both Raebareli in UP and Medak in undivided Andhra Pradesh, winning both seats.

However, Indira Gandhi eventually vacated the Raebareli seat and retained her other seat in Medak. From 1980 onwards, loyalists of the Gandhi family such as Arun Nehru, Shiela Kaul, and Captain Satish Sharma won from Raebareli until Sonia Gandhi reclaimed the seat in 2004. Sonia has continued to win the seat in subsequent Lok Sabha elections until 2019.

Raebareli was the only seat that the Congress party managed to win from Uttar Pradesh in the 2019 elections.

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  Q: Who is contesting from Raebareli for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024?

  • A: Rahul Gandhi, the Member of Parliament from Wayanad, is contesting from Raebareli for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

• Q: When was the decision to field Rahul Gandhi from Raebareli announced?

  • A: The decision to field Rahul Gandhi from Raebareli was announced on May 3, the last day for filing nomination papers for the seat.

• Q: What is the significance of May 20 in relation to Raebareli?

  • A: May 20 marks the date when the Raebareli seat will go to polls in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

• Q: Why did Rahul Gandhi lose the Amethi seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections?

  • A: Rahul Gandhi lost the Amethi seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to Union Minister Smriti Irani.

• Q: Who is the Congress party's candidate for the Amethi seat in the current elections?

  • A: KL Sharma, a loyalist of the Gandhi family, is the Congress party's candidate for the Amethi seat in the current elections.

• Q: How long has the Gandhi family been associated with the Raebareli constituency?

  • A: The Gandhi family has been associated with the Raebareli constituency since 1952.

• Q: Who won the Raebareli seat in 1980 when Indira Gandhi contested from two seats?

  • A: Indira Gandhi won both the Raebareli seat in UP and the Medak seat in undivided Andhra Pradesh in 1980.

• Q: Who were some of the Gandhi-loyalists who won from Raebareli after Indira Gandhi vacated the seat?

  • A: Some of the Gandhi-loyalists who won from Raebareli after Indira Gandhi vacated the seat include Arun Nehru, Shiela Kaul, and Captain Satish Sharma.

• Q: What is the Congress party's track record in Uttar Pradesh, particularly with respect to Raebareli?

  • A: Raebareli was the only seat that the Congress party won from Uttar Pradesh in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

• Q: How many times has Rahul Gandhi been elected as a Member of Parliament from Amethi?

  • A: Rahul Gandhi has been elected three times as a Member of Parliament from Amethi.

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  • A: Damian Lillard re-aggravated an Achilles injury in Game 3, which caused him to miss the last two games.

• Q: Who is contesting from Wayanad in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024?

  • A: Rahul Gandhi is contesting from Wayanad, a seat he won in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

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  • A: Reports indicated a recovery period of two to four weeks for Giannis Antetokounmpo's calf strain.

• Q: How many times did Indira Gandhi represent the Raebareli seat?

  • A: Indira Gandhi represented the Raebareli seat for ten years between 1967 and 1977.

• Q: Who won the Raebareli seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections?

  • A: Sonia Gandhi won the Raebareli seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

• Q: What makes Raebareli a safer seat compared to Amethi according to some analysts?

  • A: Raebareli is considered a safer seat for Rahul Gandhi because the Gandhi family has a long history of winning elections there.

• Q: When did Feroze Gandhi, Indira Gandhi's husband, first win the Raebareli seat?

  • A: Feroze Gandhi first won the Raebareli seat in 1952.

• Q: Who is Smriti Irani, and what role did she play in Rahul Gandhi's loss in Amethi?

  • A: Smriti Irani is a Union Minister who defeated Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, leading to his loss in Amethi.

• Q: What role did Medak play in Indira Gandhi's electoral strategy in 1980?

  • A: Medak was another seat from which Indira Gandhi contested in 1980, winning both Raebareli and Medak.

• Q: How did the Congress party react to Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest from Raebareli?

  • A: The Congress party supported Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest from Raebareli, citing the constituency's historical significance for the Gandhi family.