Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday filed his nomination papers from Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Robert Vadra were also present at the occasion. Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi was also seen.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Dinesh Pratap Singh from the constituency. After Gandhi filed his nomination from Rae Bareli, the Congress said on its X handle, "This election is an election to protect democracy in the country, it is an election to establish justice by defeating injustice. We will protect democracy at all costs. We will fight and win (sic)."
KL Sharma also filed his nomination from Amethi. After filing his nomination from Amethi, Sharma said that election is a mere formality and people decide for those who work for them.
"Who will win or lose from here, it's in people's hands, we will work hard... Election is just a formality, people make their mood for those who work for them. People just have this perception that whom they elected earlier was good or bad," he said.
He added that he has worked for the people of Amethi for the last 40 years. "I am following what has been directed to me by the top leadership. I just want people to give me a chance in their service," he further said.
Today is the last day to file the nominations from both Rae Bareli and Amethi. Earlier in the day, the grand old party declared KL Sharma as the candidate from Amethi and Rahul Gandhi as the Lok Sabha candidate from Rae Bareli.
Priyanka Gandhi is not contesting the Lok Sabha elections from either Amethi or Rae Bareli. This, however, is the first time in 25 years that non-Gandhi candidate is contesting from Amethi. Since its creation as a Lok Sabha constituency in 1967, Amethi has been represented by a Gandhi family for around 31 years. The Congress bastion voted for a change in 2019 when BJP's Smriti Irani beat Rahul Gandhi by over 55,000 votes.
PM Modi's jibe at Rahul Gandhi
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lashed out at the Gandhi scion for contesting from Rae Bareli instead of Amethi. PM Modi advised Rahul Gandhi to not be scared and run away and face the voters.
Taking a jibe at Rahul Gandhi, the Prime Minister added, "I had already said that the Shehzada is going to lose in Wayanad. I had said that as soon as the polling was completed in Wayanad, he would start looking for another second seat... He is so scared of Amethi that he is running towards Rae Bareli. They ask everyone 'Daro Mat.' Today, I also ask them, 'Daro Mat, Bhago Mat'."
The Prime Minister added that the Congress is going to fewer seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections compared to the 2019 contest. "People have now understood, they are not fighting to win this election but contesting only to divide this nation. INDI alliance is only devoted to one single vote bank," he further said.