Despite the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) revealing its list of 195 contestants, with 51 nominees designated for Uttar Pradesh's constituencies in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the suspense lingers over the candidate selection for Raebareli.
This constituency holds significant political importance due to its historical association with the Congress party. Raebareli, along with Amethi, has long been regarded as the bastion of the Congress until the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Earlier, in 2019, Sonia Gandhi secured victory in Raebareli against BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh, while Union Minister Smriti Irani defeated senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Amethi.
The anticipation surrounding Raebareli stems from speculation that the Congress might nominate All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Priyanka Gandhi for this seat, while Rahul Gandhi may contest from Amethi. As such, numerous names are being circulated as potential BJP candidates for the Raebareli constituency.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Minister Dinesh Pratap Singh expressed his full support for whichever candidate the Bharatiya Janata Party chooses to field from the Raebareli constituency.
Singh, who contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Raebareli and was defeated by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, reiterated his commitment to backing the party's nominee in the upcoming elections.
“Brothers and sisters of my Raebareli, whoever is sent by the leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party from Raebareli Lok Sabha with a lotus sign, I, with the people of Raebareli, will help him fight elections with all my heart, body, mind, and wealth. This is my resolve to make the lotus blossom. May Lord Shri Ram and the respected people of Raebareli support our resolve. Jai Shri Ram,” Dinesh Pratap Singh said in a Facebook post.
Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who had been representing the Raebareli constituency since 2004, conveyed to the voters of Raebareli that she would not be contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections due to health and age concerns.
In a statement on February 15th, she announced her decision not to seek re-election to the Lower House from the Congress stronghold in the forthcoming polls. “My family in Delhi is incomplete without you. It becomes complete after visiting Raebareli--meeting you all. This relationship is very old and deep, which I have received from my in-laws' house as fortune.”
Sonia Gandhi secured her first victory as a Member of Parliament from Raebareli in 2004. Since then, she has continuously represented the Congress stronghold in the Lower House of Parliament.
(With inputs from agencies)
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