In the realm of forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, it appears increasingly improbable that Sonia Gandhi, the former president of the Congress, will partake in the electoral fray. This speculation gains momentum as the Congress unit in Madhya Pradesh advocates for Sonia Gandhi to represent their state in the Rajya Sabha. Simultaneously, a crescendo of voices from within the party cadres clamors for Priyanka Gandhi’s active foray into electoral politics by vying for a seat in the imminent Lok Sabha polls.
Amid these deliberations, the echelons of Congress leadership subtly allude to the prospect of Sonia Gandhi abstaining from the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, scheduled three months hence. A prevailing sentiment among the venerable figures within the grand old party leans towards the hypothesis that Priyanka Gandhi might be positioned as the candidate for the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency, a bastion hitherto held by Sonia Gandhi.
According to the leadership in Madhya Pradesh Congress, the erstwhile Chief Minister and seasoned party luminary, Kamal Nath, has formally petitioned Sonia Gandhi to consider contesting the Rajya Sabha elections from their state. Leaders in Madhya Pradesh contend that unanimous consensus prevails among all their party MPs and MLAs in the state, advocating for Sonia Gandhi’s representation in the Rajya Sabha, thereby ensuring an influential voice for the state in the Parliament.
The proposal for Sonia Gandhi’s Rajya Sabha candidacy emerges in the lead-up to the elections on February 27, encompassing 56 seats in the Upper House. In this electoral milieu, the Congress aims to secure at least one Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya Pradesh. The incumbent BJP commands sufficient legislative prowess to secure four Rajya Sabha seats in this electoral cycle. The Congress, with 66 MLAs against the BJP’s 163 in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly, strategically puts forth Sonia Gandhi’s name, also hinting at considering Kamal Nath if he expresses interest in the Rajya Sabha nomination, should the former party chief decline their proposal.
