Rahul Gandhi‘s nomination from Uttar Pradesh‘s Rae Bareli has reignited focus on the Congress party pocket borough, first represented in the Lok Sabha by his grandfather Feroze Gandhi in 1952. During his tenure, Feroze Gandhi had established a strong foundation which was later nurtured and strengthened by his wife, former prime minister Indira Gandhi. She had won the seat in 1967, 1971, and 1980, and the seat was retained by friends and family members of the Gandhi family.
In 1980, Indira Gandhi contested from two seats, Rae Bareli and Medak in undivided Andhra Pradesh, out of which she decided to keep the Medak seat. Arun Nehru won the 1980 bypoll and then won again in 1984.
Historical Significance of Rae Bareli
The seat has a rich history, with prominent figures like Arun Nehru, Sheila Kaul, and Satish Sharma, all associated with the Gandhi family, representing it in the past. Even during times when the Congress did not hold the seat, its connection with the Gandhi family remained strong. From Arun Nehru, a key figure in Rajiv Gandhi’s administration, to Sheila Kaul, Indira Gandhi’s aunt, the constituency has been a stronghold of the Congress party.
Key Members and Representatives
After the demise of Feroze Gandhi, Congress’ R P Singh won the 1960 bypoll, followed by Baij Nath Kureel in 1962. Sheila Kaul represented the seat in 1989 and 1991, showcasing the close ties between the Gandhi family and the constituency.
In 1999, Satish Sharma, a friend of the Gandhis, represented Rae Bareli until Sonia Gandhi decided to contest from there. The Congress lost the seat only once, which was after the Emergency in 1977. During that time, Raj Narain from the Janata Party defeated Indira Gandhi, who was the prime minister, and Ashoke Singh from the BJP in 1996 and 1998.
Despite Sonia Gandhi’s initial choice to contest from Amethi, she later vacated it for Rahul Gandhi’s political debut in 2004.
In recent years, Sonia Gandhi held Rae Bareli four times between 2004 and 2019, although her winning margins began to decrease in recent years. The decision to field Rahul Gandhi from Rae Bareli instead of Amethi reflects the party’s strategic move, considering Rae Bareli a safer seat for him after his defeat in Amethi in 2019.
Sonia Gandhi bids adieu to Rae Bareli
Sonia Gandhi expressed confidence in her farewell message to the people of Rae Bareli that the seat, which has always supported her and the Gandhis, will continue to support her family in the future as well.
The former party chief, aged 77, announced that due to health and age concerns, she would not be participating in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, marking the end of her tenure representing Rae Bareli since 2004.
Sonia Gandhi, the former party chief, informed voters of her Rae Bareli constituency in a message on February 15 that she will not participate in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections due to health and age concerns.
The 77-year-old also hinted at a possible entry of a family member from Rae Bareli in an emotional message to her constituents, a segment she has represented since 2004.
“I am proud to say that whatever I am today, I am because of you and I have always done my best to honour your trust. Now on account of health and age issues, I will not contest the next Lok Sabha election,” she said in the message.
“After this decision, I will not have the opportunity to serve you directly but my heart and soul will always remain with you. I know that you will stand by me and my family in future, just as you have in the past,” she said in the message.
The message to the voters was delivered one day after she submitted her nomination for the Rajya Sabha seat in Rajasthan.
She first became a member of the Rajya Sabha, following in the footsteps of Indira Gandhi, who served in the upper house from 1964 to 1967.
In the message to voters, Sonia Gandhi further said, “My family in Delhi is incomplete without you. It completes when I come to Rae Bareli and meet all of you. My ties with you are very old. I have inherited these ties as a good fortune from my in-laws.”
Noting that ties of her family with Rae Bareli are “very deep rooted’, she said Rae Bareli sent her father-in-law Feroze Gandhi to Lok Sabha in the first general election held after Independence.
After that, you accepted my mother-in-law Indira Gandhi, she noted, adding that ever since, our relationship grew stronger on the difficult road to affection despite the highs and lows of life and our faith in this bond grew stronger.
“You allowed me space to walk along on this shining path. I came to you after losing my mother-in-law and husband and you accepted me with open arms,” the former Congress chief said.
Sending her respect to elders and love to youngsters, she had said in her message, “I will see you soon’.
Why Congress picked Rae Bareli for Rahul Gandhi?
Rahul Gandhi’s decision to contest from Rae Bareli instead of Amethi, a seat long associated with the Gandhis, underscores the party’s strategy. Despite losing Amethi by almost 50,000 votes to the BJP’s Smriti Irani in 2019, the party believes Rae Bareli’s historical and emotional significance for the Gandhi family makes it a better choice for Rahul.
Amid criticism that the Congress allowed Irani to leave without confrontation in Amethi, sources stated that the party, based on its judgment, considered Rae Bareli to be of greater historical, emotional, and electoral significance for the Gandhi family compared to Amethi.
North-South Balance in Congress Leadership
With Sonia Gandhi’s move to the Rajya Sabha, it becomes crucial for the Congress to have a prominent leader from North India. Currently, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal, and Chief Spokesperson Jairam Ramesh hail from the South. Hence, it was strategically wise for the party to nominate its top leader from North India to maintain a balanced representation.
Congress Performance in Southern and Northern India
The Congress has historically performed better in Southern India compared to Northern states. To regain power, especially in the six Northern states where it directly competes with the BJP, the party needs to enhance its performance significantly. While the Congress recently won elections in Karnataka and Telangana, it faced setbacks in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. In Northern India, the Congress currently holds power only in Himachal Pradesh and is part of the ruling coalition in Jharkhand.
Shift in Political Landscape
Amethi, synonymous with the Gandhis for decades, will see a non-Gandhi family member contesting for the first time in 25 years. Kishori Lal Sharma, a close aide of the Gandhi family, will contest from Amethi, while Rahul Gandhi will contest from Rae Bareli.
Recent Electoral Dynamics in Amethi
In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Smriti Irani emerged victorious in the Amethi seat, defeating Rahul Gandhi by a margin of over 55,000 votes. Irani polled 4,68,514 votes, while Rahul Gandhi received 4,13,394 votes. In 2014, Rahul Gandhi won the Amethi seat for the third consecutive time, polling 4,08,651 votes against Irani’s 3,00,748 votes. BSP candidate Dharmendra Pratap Singh secured the third position with 57,716 votes, while Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Dr Kumar Vishwas came in fourth with 25,527 votes.
Upcoming Polls and Candidate Announcements
The Amethi and Rae Bareli seats are scheduled to go to polls on May 20 in the fifth phase of the seven-phase general election. The party recently announced the candidates for these seats, ending days of speculation and deliberation. Dinesh Pratap Singh has been nominated as the BJP candidate from Rae Bareli, where he previously lost to Sonia Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)
