The Congress party announced on Monday that Rahul Gandhi will be retaining his parliamentary seat in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh, and giving up his seat in Wayanad, Kerala. In his place, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul’s sister, will be making her electoral debut in Wayanad. This decision was made after discussions among the top leadership of the Congress party at the residence of party president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday.
In a message to the people of Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi said, “You are now going to have two MPs, I will keep visiting. The people of Wayanad gave me support, the energy to fight at a very difficult time.” Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, addressing the media, said, “I won’t let the people of Wayanad feel Rahul’s absence. I will work hard, try my best to make everyone happy in Wayanad, be a good representative.”
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What Congress Wants?
If Priyanka Gandhi wins in Wayanad, a constituency currently seen as secure, it would be the first time that three members of the Nehru-Gandhi family simultaneously hold parliamentary positions. This could revive criticism of the party for promoting dynastic politics and giving prominence to a single family. It’s worth noting that Sonia Gandhi is currently a member of the Rajya Sabha.
In the recent parliamentary elections, the Congress party made significant gains in Uttar Pradesh, winning six seats. This is a major improvement from the 2019 elections, where the party suffered a big defeat, winning only one seat in Rae Bareli. Losing Amethi, where Rahul Gandhi was defeated by Smriti Irani, was a significant setback for the party. In 2019, the Congress’ vote share in Uttar Pradesh was only 6.36%.
In contrast, in the 2014 elections, the party won two seats – Rae Bareli and Amethi – and had a higher vote share of 7.53%. Despite contesting only 17 seats in the most recent elections and leaving the rest to its allies in the INDIA bloc, the Congress was able to secure victory in six seats. Impressively, even with the limited number of seats contested, the party’s vote share in the state increased to 9.46%, showing a significant improvement in its performance. The party wants to send a clear message that Rahul is not relinquishing the seat and the state that provided significant support and a positive election result. This state holds the highest representation in the Lower House of Parliament, making it crucial for the party and Rahul to maintain a strong presence.
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Congress’s alliance with the SP proves effective
Another important factor to consider is the impact of the positive results achieved by the Congress and the SP in Uttar Pradesh. It seems that the public sentiment in the state is turning against the BJP, as evidenced by the party’s reduced seat tally of 33, down from 62 in 2019. By choosing to retain Rae Bareli, Rahul Gandhi is sending a clear message that the Congress is committed to continuing its battle in Uttar Pradesh and the broader Hindi heartland as it takes on the BJP, which is riding high on its performance in the state. Looking ahead to the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, the Congress aims to consolidate the gains it has made. Despite contesting all 403 seats in 2022, the party only managed to secure two victories, resulting in a decrease in its vote share to 2.33%, even with Priyanka Gandhi’s active leadership. As the Congress’s alliance with the SP proves effective, it strategically makes sense for Rahul Gandhi to maintain a presence in Rae Bareli.
Could the Congress have fielded anyone else?
The Congress party has numerous candidates vying for the Wayanad seat, creating a challenge for party leaders. Initially, there was speculation that K Muraleedharan, who had previously served as an MP in the Lok Sabha and recently shifted from Vadakara to Thrissur to contest against the BJP’s Suresh Gopi, could be the chosen candidate for Wayanad. However, party leaders were concerned that this choice would provide the CPI(M) with an opportunity to criticize the Congress in the coming months. Furthermore, there were indications that Priyanka was interested in entering electoral politics.
In the past, Priyanka made efforts to revitalize the Congress in Uttar Pradesh as the AICC general secretary in charge of the state, but achieved limited success. Despite leading the Congress campaign in the 2022 Assembly elections, the party only managed to win two seats. Currently, Priyanka holds the position of AICC general secretary without specific responsibilities, and the party intends to utilize her primarily as a campaigner. It appears that she prefers this role over being burdened with organizational duties.
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