Raebareli: A Key Gandhi Family Stronghold in Uttar Pradesh.
New Delhi: The Congress’ decision to have Rahul Gandhi retain Raebareli and field his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, from the seat he is vacating in Kerala’s Wayanad is being seen as a well-thought-out strategic move by the party. This move aims to solidify its presence in both northern and southern India, laying essential groundwork for upcoming elections.
Raebareli, a longstanding stronghold of the Gandhi family in Uttar Pradesh, has been represented for years by Rahul Gandhi’s mother, Sonia Gandhi. Alongside Amethi, which has returned to the Congress fold under the stewardship of longtime Gandhi family loyalist KL Sharma, these constituencies provide a strong base for the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, a state where it aims to expand its footprint in the forthcoming 2027 elections.
In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, Congress and its ally in the state, Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, collectively won 43 seats, surpassing BJP’s 33 seats in a state that was once considered the latter’s stronghold.
In the southern states, where the Congress already governs Karnataka, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu (through its ally, MK Stalin’s DMK), the party is now eyeing Kerala. Kerala, historically oscillating between Congress and the Left every five years, recently broke the cycle by electing the Left for a second consecutive term in 2021. Congress is hopeful that anti-incumbency sentiments will work in its favor in the 2026 elections.
The presence of a Gandhi family member in Wayanad is expected to bolster Congress’s prospects in Kerala. Despite a vigorous BJP campaign, Congress won 14 out of 20 seats in the state in the last election, losing only one seat.
The Congress leadership has shown enthusiasm for the new strategy, with senior party leader KC Venugopal from Kerala seen alongside Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during the press conference announcing her candidacy in Wayanad.
Rahul Gandhi affirmed his and his sister’s commitment to both states, stating, “You will now have two MPs; I will continue to visit.” Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, highlighting her longstanding association with Raebareli, expressed her dedication to both constituencies: “Both Wayanad and Raebareli will have two dedicated MPs each.”
“I will strive to serve the people of Wayanad diligently and be a strong advocate for their concerns,” she added.