With Sonia Gandhi leaving the Congress stronghold of Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh for a Rajya Sabha berth from Rajasthan, speculation is rife if her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will finally make her electoral debut from her mother’s long-standing seat. The party, for long, has been preparing the ground for her daughter’s candidature from Rae Bareli so that the seat continues to be with the Gandhi family.
However, now there is a buzz that Rahul Gandhi is not keen on his sister contesting from Rae Bareli. The reason, it is being said is that he does not want to have all the three Gandhis to go to Parliament. This, it is being said, could be because he believes that the attack on Congress as a dynastic party will intensify if all three go to Parliament. This has resulted in a lot of speculation, with one analyst claiming that Rahul Gandhi “just wants to size his sister down. It could be because, if she becomes MP, she could draw more attention may overshadow her brother.
Rahul does not want anyone to emerge as a leader who could later challenge his merit to run the party.” An ex minister speaking anonymously, told The Sunday Guardian, “It has been for a very long time that she has been sidelined or maybe she has chosen to stay away. Whatever be the reason, she has her own fan following. That should be utilised. It is family politics. Maybe Rahul Gandhi wants that there should be no one as a competition from within or without.” Yet, party insiders think there is a need for someone who represents the Gandhi family—a candidate who is of the bloodline of the Gandhis. They believe, any other leader, if fielded from Rae Bareli, will not be able to pull off a victory.
This could make the grand old party lose its traditional seat. A political analyst in the state seeking anonymity said, “Out of need they will have to field a family member from that seat. Because if any one contests from there, it will be difficult to win the seat. Moreover, they don’t have a candidate in UP who has one’s own popularity and can build one’s own narrative at the local level.” A Congress insider said, “The seat is awaiting confirmation of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s candidacy from the high command. All the groundwork has been done. It is almost certain that Priyanka will contest.”
Congress spokesperson in Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Pratap Singh said to The Sunday Guardian, “The final decision will of course be made by the top leadership, but it is true that both constituencies (Rae Bareli and Amethi) are the bastions of the Nehru-Gandhi family. People as well want someone from the family to contest from both the seats. Moreover, if they contest from UP, there will naturally be a lot of impact as all the family stalwarts have contested from both these seats. It has been their home state. Nehruji, Indiraji Rajivji Sanjayji have all fought from the state.”