Rahul from Rae Bareilly and Gandhi family loyalist Kishori Lal from Amethi as Congress candidates

The Congress high command has finally declared the tickets of Rae Bareilly and Amethi, making surprising choices. While Nehru Gandhi scion and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi who had represented Amethi for three consecutive terms from 2004 to 2019 and a traditional family turf losing to former union minister turned actor Smriti Irani has gone to Rae Bareilly instead of the former, a family loyalist from Ludhiyana since 1980 Kishori Lal Sharma has been chosen from Amethi. What is surprising in this entire ticket giving exercise is that the star campaigner of Congress and general secretary who was the first and foremost choice of the electorates from Rae Bareilly n even Amethi has not been given ticket probably because Priyanka who is busy campaigning for Congress party and INDIA conglomerate has refused to contest from either Amethi or Rae Bareilly. Today is the last day of nomination and Rahul Gandhi and Kishori Lal have already reached there to file their nomination papers. By now they must have filed their papers today being the last date. By giving Kishori Lal ticket from Amethi , it’s clear that the Gandhi family has rewarded loyalty sending a message across that loyalty ultimately pays, especially to those who are thinking leaving the party. Though in Amethi majority of the electorates who have by mistake made the former union minister Smriti Irani victorious in 2019 defeating Rahul Gandhi are repenting and had pledged to make Rahul Gandhi victorious by more than 4 lakh votes this time must be bit disheartened after no family member is contesting from here this time but there are reports that they will definitely make Congress candidate chosen by Gandhi family victorious with good votes. It may be recalled that after losing from Amethi in 2019 at the hands of vociferous Smriti Irani by margin of 55000 votes Rahul Gandhi had won from Wayanad Kerala with a heavy margin of votes getting 64% of the total votes. This time too he is contesting from Wayanad Kerala and Rae Bareilly simultaneously with suspense remaining as to which seat he will retain after being victorious from both the seats.

Rae Bareilly from where Rahul Gandhi has filed his nomination papers today as the party’s official candidate was represented by Rahul’s grandfather Feroza Gandhi, his grandmother and former PM Indira Gandhi, his mother Sonia Gandhi and now he is contesting. In 2014 Sonia Gandhi had won by a huge margin of three lakh votes but in 2019 the margin had come down to 1 lakh 60 or 75 thousand votes.

It may be recalled that Kishori Lal Sharma has been with the Gandhi family since 1980 and had worked in close proximity with Rajiv Gandhi, former PM , Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and Priyanka in his private capacity handling their political affairs not coming in the front and also managing the constituency affairs as once late Captain Satish Sharma, close friend of Rajiv Gandhi used to look after Amethi constituency affairs when Rajiv Gandhi was prime minister.