Varun Gandhi declined BJP's offer to contest from Raebareli: Sources

BJP MP Varun Gandhi has declined the party's offer to contest from Raebareli, sources told India Today on Thursday. The Congress may field Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Raebareli. The BJP had approached Varun Gandhi to contest against his cousin Priyanka, but he opted out of the Raebareli poll battle, sources said.

Sources close to the BJP leader told India Today that Varun Gandhi wants to stay away from the kind of spotlight that a 'Gandhi vs Gandhi' contest would attract. Varun Gandhi is a sitting MP from Pilibhit but he was denied a ticket this time and was replaced by Jitin Prasada.   

Raebareli has been a Congress stronghold since 2004. Congress sources on Wednesday suggested that there is a strong possibility that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could contest from the seat. Her mother and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi vacated the seat and was elected to the Rajya Sabha in February this year.

ThePrint recently reported that suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma was 'in the reckoning' for Rae Bareli. According to the report, a senior party leader said Nupur's name had been suggested by a few state leaders, and it was under consideration. "But we have to look at many aspects and the final decision will be taken by the central leadership of the party," the leader was quoted as saying by ThePrint.  

(With inputs from Poulomi Saha)