2024 Lok Sabha Elections: KL Sharma, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi of Congress to Face Smriti Irani

KL Sharma has been a loyalist of the Gandhi family for a long time, and has managed party affairs in Amethi. The Congress has chosen him as their candidate for the prestigious seat, which was announced this morning after a period of suspense.

Rahul Gandhi, who was expected to try to reclaim Amethi, has been announced as the party’s candidate from Raebareli. In 2019, Mr. Gandhi suffered a surprising defeat to the BJP’s Smriti Irani in Amethi, the family stronghold.

The Congress will be contesting 17 of Uttar Pradesh’s 80 Lok Sabha seats, with the remaining 63 going to the Samajwadi Party and other regional outfits. Kishori Lal Sharma first arrived in Amethi in 1983 and has been working for the party in the constituency ever since.

He was reportedly a close associate of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, and his bond with the Gandhi family strengthened after Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination in 1991. Sources also suggest that KL Sharma played a significant role in Sonia Gandhi’s first victory from Amethi in 1999, which secured her a seat in Parliament.

As a dedicated party loyalist, Mr. Sharma has overseen party affairs in both Amethi and Raebareli after Sonia Gandhi vacated the seat for her son Rahul.