Rahul to contest LS poll from Amethi: UP Congress

New Delhi, August 18

A day after his appointment, Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai on Friday said former party president Rahul Gandhi would contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from his old seat Amethi.

Rai, who was talking to reporters after assuming charge of his new responsibility, said Rahul would like to contest again from Amethi, a seat won multiple times by his father late Rajiv Gandhi, mother Sonia Gandhi and Rahul himself. In 2019, Rahul had fought from two seats — the family bastion Amethi and Wayanad in Kerala. He won in Wayanad, but ended up losing to Bharatiya Janata Party’s Smriti Irani in Amethi. On speculations about Priyanka Gandhi contesting in 2024 from Varanasi, Rai said she could contest from wherever she desired. “If Priyanka Gandhi wishes to contest from Varanasi, every worker will strive to make her win,” he said.

Rai, a five-term MLA, had fought against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi in 2014 and 2019. Though he remained unsuccessful, the fight added heft to his bid for the state Congress chief’s post.