Rahul Gandhi drops Amethi, to contest polls from Rae Bareli

• Rahul Gandhi ditches Amethi, to contest from Rae Bareli
• Party fields Gandhi family's longtime loyalist, Kishori Lal Sharma in Amethi
• Both candidates filing nominations today

In a last-minute shuffle, the Congress announced a surprising twist for Amethi and Raebareli constituencies. Rahul Gandhi, initially anticipated to contest from Amethi, has been named as the party candidate for Raebareli, succeeding his mother Sonia Gandhi, who recently shifted to the Rajya Sabha.

Rae Bareli holds historical significance for the Congress, having been represented by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from 1967 to 1977, and subsequently by Sonia Gandhi from 2004 until her Rajya Sabha appointment in 2024.

Rahul Gandhi is set to file his nomination from Raebareli today, where he will face BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh, his opponent from the 2019 elections. Meanwhile, in Amethi, a traditional family stronghold lost to BJP's Smriti Irani in 2019, the Congress has nominated Kishori Lal Sharma, a longtime loyalist of the Gandhi family.