Rahul Gandhi to contest Lok Sabha polls from Rae Bareli, KL Sharma from Amethi

Rahul Gandhi Rae Bareli Lok Sabha Seat: The suspense over nominations in two Congress strongholds in north India—Amethi and Rae Bareli— has finally ended.

Surprisingly, Rahul Gandhi has been announced as the party candidate from Rae Bareli, the seat vacated by his mother Sonia Gandhi when she moved to Rajya Sabha.

Meanwhile, in Amethi, Kishori Lal Sharma will be contesting on the seat which has been a family bastion for the Gandhis.

Both candidates will file their papers today, the last day for filing nominations for the fifth phase of the election on May 20.

The Congress decision was announced on Friday (May 3) after weeks of suspense.

Also read: What's stopping Rahul Gandhi from entering the fray in Amethi

Talking to reporters Congress worker Yogendra Yadav said KL Sharma is a part of the Gandhi family. "There is no disappointment. We will definitely win from Amethi. Sharma is also a part of the Gandhi family now. He has worked for the Gandhi family in Amethi for 30 to 35 years," he said.

Congress loyalist KL Sharma will face Smriti Irani in Amethi in the elections. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi's opponent would be Dinesh Pratap Singh, who was announced as the BJP's pick from Raebareli on Thursday. Dinesh Singh lost the 2019 Lok Sabha polls to former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway at Raebareli for Rahul Gandhi's roadshow and filing of nominations. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge will also go to Raebareli today

Former Congress chief and Rahul’s mother, Sonia Gandhi represented Rae Bareli for several terms but now the seat has been vacated as Sonia was nominated to the upper house of the Indian Parliament, Rajya Sabha.

Earlier, there were speculations that Rahul’s sister and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra might be fielded from the Rae Bareli seat.

Both seats will go to polls in the fifth phase of the elections, due on May 20.