Rae Bareli, India

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi became the target of a complaint for filing his nomination from Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli constituency. The nationality of Rahul Gandhi and his recent conviction for defamation are questioned in the complaint.

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Who filed the complaint against Rahul Gandhi's Rae Bareli nomination?

Advocate Ashok Pandey filed the complaint on behalf of Anirudh Pratap Singh. The attorney filed a complaint against Gandhi with the Rae Bareli Returning Officer, seeking the annulment of the Congress leader's candidacy on two grounds: his nationality and his conviction.

“First, Rahul Gandhi has been convicted for two years... He is ineligible to contest elections. Even though the Supreme Court has put a stay on Rahul Gandhi's conviction, it has not given any verdict like Afzal Ansari saying he can contest again... Since his stay on conviction does not involve permission to contest elections he should back off,” Pandey told ANI.

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Also read: 'Don't be scared, don't run away': PM Modi teases Rahul Gandhi over Rae Bareli nomination

“Second, back in 2006, Rahul Gandhi once mentioned his Nationality as British. Being a British citizen, he cannot Constitutionally contest elections... After my complaint, Rahul Gandhi's representative was called in and my complaint has been accepted,” he added.

How did Congress react to complaint against Rahul Gandhi's Rae Bareli nomination?

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In response to the complaint against Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader Ajay Pal Singh released a statement that read, "There's a candidate who registered a complaint against Rahul Gandhi after the period of complaining was over... The complainant said he has filed a writ challenging Rahul Gandhi's nationality... Rahul Gandhi's nomination was valid previously as well, and it is valid now also."

On Friday (May 3), Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination from the Rae Bareli constituency,  putting a stop to rumours that he will run for the Amethi seat again. The opposition had a field day with this information.

PM Narendra Modi said, “I had said that shehzada (Rahul Gandhi) is afraid of losing in Wayanad, and the moment voting ends, he will start looking for a third seat. Now even from Amethi, despite all his loyalists saying it, he panicked so much, he ran from there and is now looking towards Rae Bareli. These people keep going around telling people Daro Mat. Today I will also tell them... ji bhar ke kehta hoon. Arey daro mat, bhaago mat.”

(With inputs from agencies)