The 18th Lok Sabha elections are being held in seven phases by the Election Commission. Five crucial phases are already complete, with just two more to go. Amidst this, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi is contesting from two constituencies. He is running for the second time from Wayanad in Kerala in the second phase and also from the significant seat of Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP has accused Rahul of contesting from Raebareli because he lacks confidence in winning Wayanad. Ignoring these claims, Rahul has chosen to contest from Raebareli, a stronghold of his family.
The focus on Raebareli is mainly because of Rahul Gandhi's candidacy. This constituency is about 100-120 kilometers from Ayodhya, and the impact of Ayodhya is evident here. When Rahul visited to observe voting patterns, voters greeted him with "Jai Shri Ram" chants. However, he continued his work unfazed.
Rahul's opponent from BJP is local candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh, who has previously contested against Sonia Gandhi twice. Political analysts suggest that if a strong contender stands against Rahul, he could face tough competition. The big question remains: if Rahul wins from both Wayanad and Raebareli, which seat will he keep?
In 2014, Sonia Gandhi won Raebareli with a margin of 3 lakh votes, which reduced to 1.5 lakh in 2019. This time, the margin of Rahul’s victory is a hot topic. If Rahul loses in Raebareli, analysts believe it would signal Congress's diminished hopes in Uttar Pradesh.
Rahul is the fourth generation of his family to contest from Raebareli, following his great-grandfather Feroze Gandhi, grandmother Indira Gandhi, and mother Sonia Gandhi. However, the seat briefly went to BJP in 1996 and 1999. From 2004 to 2019, Sonia Gandhi held the seat before being nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan. Now, in 2024, Rahul is taking up the mantle.
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