Rahul Gandhi becomes 3rd Generation of Gandhi family to Contest from Raebareli

New Delhi: Congress has changed its generation in Uttar Pradesh’s Raebareli Lok Sabha constituency. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination papers from Raebareli on Friday, a seat that has been represented by his family for generations. The Raebareli seat, where his grandfather, grandmother and mother had fought and won elections, for the first time Rahul will be contesting elections from this seat, which his mother, Sonia Gandhi, has been representing since 2004.

Raebareli has a rich history of being represented by the Gandhi family. Rahul Gandhi’s grandfather, Feroze Gandhi, was elected from this seat in the first election in 1952 and again in 1957. Later, his grandmother & then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was elected from this seat in 1967 and 1971. Indira Gandhi represented Raebareli in three elections in 1967, 1971 and 1980. Sonia Gandhi continued the legacy, winning from Raebareli in 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019.

Apart from the Gandhi family, RP Singh, Baijnath Puril, Arun Nehru, Seela Kaul and Satish Sharma had won the seat as Congress candidates.

After Feroze Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, now the third in the line, Rahul Gandhi is going to represent the Raebareli constituency. Today, Rahul filed his nomination papers in the presence of his mother Sonia Gandhi, sister Priyanka Gandhi, brother-in-law Robert Vadra and other Congress leaders. He is the sitting MP from the Wayanad seat in Kerala. Sonia Gandhi has now been nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan without contesting the Lok Sabha elections.

Rahul Gandhi, in response to criticism from the Opposition for giving up the Amethi seat and running from Raebareli, stated that Raebareli has always been the workplace of the Gandhi family. He further added, he is fighting against injustice and therefore, seeks the blessings and love of the people.

However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized Rahul’s candidacy from Raebareli. Referring to Rahul’s slogan ‘Daro Mat’ (Don’t be afraid), the Prime Minister said that Rahul had moved from Amethi to Wayanad due to fear of defeat and has now chosen Raebareli again. He advised Rahul, “Don’t be afraid, don’t run away.”