In the midst of escalating anticipation surrounding the Amethi and Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituencies, the Congress firmly stated on Wednesday that “apprehension is non-existent,” and a verdict on the matter would be disclosed within the forthcoming 24-30 hours.
Jairam Ramesh, the Congress’s general secretary, asserted that the party’s central election committee (CEC) has bestowed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge with the authority to conclude the selection of contenders for Amethi and Rae Bareli.
“My anticipation is that within the subsequent 24-30 hours, the Congress president will conclude and a verdict rendered by him will be publicized,” Ramesh expressed in response to an inquiry during a press briefing at the AICC headquarters here. “Until such time, all information, all purported office directives are fictitious,” he contended.
When queried about the delay in making a determination and whether the Congress harbored any “fear” in nominating Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, Ramesh rebuffed, “There exists no delay. Has the BJP not proclaimed its contenders in Rae Bareli? Smriti Irani is an incumbent MP. No one harbors fear, deliberations are in progress, the Congress president has been vested with authority.”
“No delay persists, the window extends until May 3,” he asserted. The regional leadership in Uttar Pradesh has already implored the central election committee and the party hierarchy to nominate Rahul Gandhi from Amethi and Priyanka from Rae Bareli. The members of the CEC also endorsed the standpoint of the Uttar Pradesh Congress during their preceding assembly on Saturday.
The Amethi constituency has been represented by Rahul Gandhi since 2004, and he retained parliamentary status from the constituency for three consecutive terms until 2019 when he was overtaken by BJP’s Smriti Irani. Presently, Rahul Gandhi represents the Wayanad constituency in Kerala, from which he contested in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and also in the current term.
The Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies are slated for polls on May 20 in the fifth phase of the seven-phase general elections. Rahul Gandhi has previously remarked that he will adhere to “any directive” he receives from his party. Speculation had been rampant that Rahul Gandhi might vie in the Lok Sabha elections from Amethi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Rae Bareli, a constituency previously held by her mother, Sonia Gandhi.
Both constituencies are regarded as strongholds of the Gandhi family, and the local branches of the Congress have advocated for the two scions of the family to contest from there. The Congress has cemented an alliance with the SP in Uttar Pradesh and is contesting 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The Lok Sabha elections are being conducted in seven phases commencing from April 19. The tabulation of votes will be undertaken on June 4.