Rahul Gandhi keeps Raebareli seat, Priyanka Gandhi to make Lok Sabha debut from Wayanad

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will take oath as the Lok Sabha MP from Raebareli after winning two seats in the recently concluded elections. His sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is set to make her Lok Sabha poll debut from Wayanad. The decision was announced by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge following a meeting with top party leaders.

“Rahul Gandhi won two Lok Sabha seats but as per the law, he has to vacate one seat. Rahul Gandhi will keep the Raebareli seat and vacate the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. We have decided that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will fight elections from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat,” Kharge announced.

Gandhi had retained the Wayanad seat by a margin of 3,64,422 votes after defeating Communist Party of India-Marxist candidate Annie Raja. He also secured the party bastion of Raebareli by defeating BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh by a margin of 3,90,030 votes. Wayanad had paved his entry to the Lok Sabha in 2019 after Gandhi lost Amethi to former Union Minister Smriti Irani.

“I have an emotional connection with Waynand and Raebareli. I was an MP from Wayanad for the last 5 years. I thank the people for their love and support. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will fight from elections from Wayanad but I will also periodically visit Wayanad. I have an old relationship with Raebareli, I am happy that I will get to represent them again but it was a tough decision,” the MP-designate said on Sunday.

“I am very happy to be able to represent Wayanad and I will not let them feel his absence. I will work hard and I will try my best to make everyone happy and be a good representative. I have a very old relationship with Raebareli and Amethi and it cannot be broken. I will also help my brother in Raebareli. We will both be present in Raebareli and Wayanad,” added Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

(With inputs from agencies)