In the forthcoming contest for the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi, former leader of Congress, is slated to deliver his inaugural speech on May 13, an occasion meticulously managed by his sister Priyanka Gandhi. Priyanka Gandhi has been entrenched in the familial bastions of Rae Bareli and Amethi since May 6, engaging in numerous grassroots gatherings. Notably, on May 11, she temporarily departed from her hectic schedule in these pivotal constituencies to canvass in Nandurbar, Maharashtra, and Chevella, Telangana.
In Rae Bareli, Rahul finds himself pitted against Dinesh Pratap Singh of the BJP, whereas in Amethi, loyalist KL Sharma confronts the Union Minister and BJP nominee, Smriti Irani. The strategists of the Congress are also strategizing joint rallies featuring Rahul Gandhi and the chief of the Samajwadi Party, Akhilesh Yadav, slated for May 17 in Amethi and Rae Bareli, following the triumph of their collective campaign in Amroha, Kanpur, and Kannauj.
A senior official of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) divulged, “Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to deliver an address in Rae Bareli on May 13. Subsequently, he will once again embark on the campaign trail, alongside Akhilesh Yadav on May 17, traversing both Amethi and Rae Bareli.” The electoral process in these crucial constituencies is scheduled for May 20, with the cessation of campaigning earmarked for May 18. By that juncture, Akhilesh Yadav, contesting against BJP’s Subrat Pathak in Kannauj, is anticipated to have more available time to devote to the alliance contenders.
For example, the SP chief is slated to advocate for the Congress candidate in Barabanki, Tanuj Punia, on May 12, and in Jalaun, where SP’s Narayan Das Ahirwar is in contention against BJP’s Bhanu Pratap Verma. Preceding the polling in Kannauj on May 13, Akhilesh Yadav mounted an aggressive campaign in his constituency on May 11. Avinash Pande, AICC’s Uttar Pradesh in-charge, “The joint rallies in Amroha, Kannauj, and Kanpur have met with success. The public reception has been exceedingly favorable. Undoubtedly, these collective rallies will advance the coordination among the allied parties and aid the alliance candidates in securing substantial victories.”
Insiders of the party reveal that under the tutelage of Priyanka, the Congress has launched an extensive outreach campaign in the pivotal constituencies of Amethi and Rae Bareli. The appointed AICC observers for these constituencies, former Chief Ministers Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan for Amethi and Bhupesh Baghel of Chhattisgarh for Rae Bareli, have arrived on the scene and are actively contributing to the campaign.
Baghel, for his part, deliberated on the campaign strategy with the leaders in Rae Bareli and conducted numerous grassroots gatherings in the Dalmau area within the parliamentary constituency. Gehlot engaged with the media in Amethi, expressing confidence that a party stalwart like KL Sharma possessed the mettle to overcome the Union Minister.
Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, a leader from Bihar who contested as an independent candidate after being denied a ticket from the Purnia seat, arrived in Rae Bareli on May 11 to rally support for Rahul Gandhi. Pande remarked, “Priyanka Gandhi’s campaign has been both fervent and poignant in the two pivotal constituencies. She has addressed the populace under adverse conditions, speaking in the darkness without amplification atop a vehicle, urging them not to succumb to the BJP’s rhetoric. Her personal anecdotes have resonated deeply with the people.”