In a surprising and buzzy twist in the Congress party’s saga, Rahul Gandhi has decided to stick with his roots in Rae Bareli while passing the baton of Wayanad to his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. This news, breaking on June 17, came straight from Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, sending ripples through the political waters.
Rahul Gandhi’s Tough Choice: Rae Bareli or Wayanad?
Rahul Gandhi, clearly torn between his affection for both constituencies, ultimately chose to represent Rae Bareli. “You are now going to have two MPs; I will keep visiting. She is going to be a very good representative of the people of Wayanad,” he reassured, adding, “People of Wayanad gave me support, energy to fight at a very difficult time.”
In his heartfelt statement, he emphasized his longstanding bond with Rae Bareli: “This was not an easy decision, because my affection is with both Wayanad and Rae Bareli.” His connection with Rae Bareli, it seems, tipped the scales in favor of this emotional decision.
Priyanka’s New Challenge: Filling Rahul’s Shoes in Wayanad
Stepping into her brother’s shoes, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed her excitement about representing Wayanad. “I am very happy to be able to represent Wayanad and I will not let them feel Rahul Gandhi’s absence,” she declared, brimming with determination. “I will work hard and try my best to make everyone happy and be a good representative.”
She further assured that her deep ties with Rae Bareli and Amethi would remain unbroken, promising, “I will also help my brother in Rae Bareli. We will both be present in Rae Bareli and Wayanad.”
The Gandhi Family’s Legacy in Rae Bareli
The Rae Bareli seat has been a Gandhi family stronghold for decades. Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai echoed this sentiment, recalling Sonia Gandhi’s earlier statement that Rae Bareli belongs to their family. “She has given her son (Rahul Gandhi) to them. People of Rae Bareli and Uttar Pradesh are with us, and this has instilled new energy among us,” he enthused.
Adding to the excitement, party leader Gaurav Gogoi expressed his delight, saying, “The voice of the people will resonate much louder with both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s presence in Parliament.”
The Electoral Drama: Two Seats, One Choice
Rahul Gandhi’s dual victories in the recent Lok Sabha elections, from both Rae Bareli and Wayanad, set the stage for this dramatic decision. In Wayanad, he triumphed over CPI leader Annie Raja by a whopping 3.6 lakh votes. Over in Rae Bareli, he crushed BJP’s Dinesh Pratap Singh with a margin of 3.9 lakh votes.
Last week, Gandhi’s office reached out to the Table Branch of Lok Sabha to navigate the resignation process, adhering to the rule that a candidate elected from two seats must resign from one within 14 days of the results. With the results declared on June 4, the clock was ticking, and June 18 was the deadline.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Chief K Sudhakaran had hinted that Wayanad might be vacated, urging people not to be disheartened as Gandhi had a larger role to play nationally. “Everyone should understand that and give all their wishes and support to him,” he said at a public meeting.
In a reflective moment, Rahul admitted, “I can’t stay in two seats, but I haven’t decided which one I will give up on,” before ultimately choosing Rae Bareli, much like Prime Minister Narendra Modi did in 2014 when he chose Varanasi over Vadodara.
This decision also brings back memories of 2019 when Gandhi lost Amethi to BJP’s Smriti Irani but secured his parliamentary presence through Wayanad.