Congress state unit requests Rahul, Priyanka to contest LS Polls from UP

Lucknow: UP Congress president Ajay Rai on Tuesday said that the state unit has urged Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and president Mallikarjun Kharge to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections from the state. Rai said he made the suggestion to the party leaders in a meeting in Delhi on Monday.

"I urged the party president Mallikarjum Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Uttar Pradesh," Rai told PTI.

"Uttar Pradesh is a politically important state and Rae Bareli and Amethi have remained the strongholds of the party for long. The Gandhi family has a personal rapport with the people of these constituencies," he said.

Rai said that party workers will explore a constituency for the president and they are ready to work hard to turn the party's fortunes.

He said he is yet to get the leaders' answer to his request.

At present, Congress has only one MP in Sonia Gandhi from Rae Bareli. Rahul Gandhi lost Amethi in 2019 to BJP leader Smriti Irani.

Though Priyanka Gandhi made her presence felt in the last assembly elections when she led the party's campaign, she failed to transfer it in votes and the party could manage mere two seats in the 403-member House.