Fact Checking: Congress Announces Rahul Gandhi as Amethi Candidate

A purported press release by the Congress has gone viral on social media, claiming Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the party’s candidates for the prestigious Amethi and Raebareli constituencies in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. Some users also claimed that Rahul Gandhi will contest from Raebareli, while Priyanka Gandhi will contest from Amethi. However, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the press releases were fake.

The party is yet to announce its candidates for the two high-profile seats in Uttar Pradesh. There has been widespread sharing of the alleged list of candidates by the Congress amid the party maintaining suspense over the names of its candidates for the two seats. Several users also shared the same screenshot with the same claim.

The Desk also came across another Facebook post, carrying a screenshot of another purported press release by the Congress, listing Rahul Gandhi as the party’s candidate from Raebareli and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Amethi. The PTI Fact Check Desk discovered a list of four Lok Sabha candidates released by the party at 8:22 pm on April 30. The list included the names of Raj Babbar, Anand Sharma, Satpal Raizada, and Bhushan Patil.

However, the party is yet to confirm its candidates for the two seats in question. Further investigation involved a customised Google search, which uncovered a news report by Hindustan Times, published at 10:08 pm on April 30. The report stated, “Cong fields Anand Sharma, Raj Babbar; suspense continues over Amethi, Rae Bareli.”

The last date for filing nominations for the two seats is on May 3, and the party is yet to announce its candidates from Amethi and Rae Bareli. Additionally, the Desk found a report by the Economic Times that suggested “Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi may not contest from Amethi and Rae Bareli.” The report also referenced a statement from Congress leader Dr Vineet Punia, who declared the purported screenshots as fake.

In conclusion, it was established that fake screenshots were disseminated on social media in the name of Congress press releases. The party is yet to officially announce its candidates for the two seats.