Rahul Gandhi files nomination from Raebareli, accompanied by Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka

The Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and Priyanka Gandhi’s husband Robert Vadra, were present with Mr. Gandhi as he submitted the papers at the district magistrate’s office. In an early morning announcement, the Congress leadership disclosed its candidates for two prominent seats – Amethi and Raebareli.

Kishori Lal Sharma was selected for the Amethi seat, dispelling earlier speculations of Mr. Gandhi’s candidacy for the seat. Raebareli, on the other hand, is considered one of the safest seats for the Congress, with the party winning 17 out of the 20 elections it has contested there.

However, Raebareli also holds the distinction of being the seat from which a sitting Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, was defeated in the 1977 elections. Feroze Gandhi, Mr. Gandhi’s grandfather, and Indira Gandhi’s husband, has also represented this constituency.

Mrs. Gandhi has moved to the Rajya Sabha, vacating the prestigious seat for her son, who is now up against the BJP’s Dinesh Pratap Singh in the upcoming elections. Mr. Sharma, the Congress pick for Amethi, is a long-term loyalist of the Gandhi family and has been working as an MP’s representative in both constituencies.

He expressed gratitude for the opportunity given to him, emphasizing his four-decade-long association with Amethi. Ms. Gandhi Vadra praised Mr. Sharma, highlighting his dedication and bond with their family.

However, Mr. Sharma’s contest is fraught with challenges as he will be facing Union Minister Smriti Irani, who triumphed over Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 election. Ms. Irani claims to have dedicated significant efforts in Amethi and has already started campaigning, benefitting from the early announcement of her candidature by the BJP.

Both Amethi and Raebareli have historically been strongholds for the Gandhi family, having been represented by four members of the family – Sanjay, Rajiv, Sonia, and Rahul Gandhi.