Sonia Gandhi will contest from Rae Bareli again: Report
New Delhi, Feb 19 (IBNS): Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi is likely to contest the next Lok Sabha election from Rae Bareli, which has voted in her favour since 2004, said NDTV citing sources.
The formal announcement to this effect is expected early next month but the 72-year-old will contest.
Speculations were rife in political circles that Sonia would vacate Rae Bareli for daughter Priyanka, who recently made her formal entry into politics. Sonia, who had contested and won from Amethi in 1999, had vacated the seat for son Rahul's first election in 2004 and switched to Rae Bareli.
Another reason why it was being speculated that Sonia would not contest because of the health problems that have dogged her in recent years. She regularly visits the US for this reason.
Even before being officially part of the Congress party, Priyanka has campaigned for both her mother and brother at Rae Bareli and Amethi respectively.
Congress sprung a surprise in January by appointing Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as a general secretary of the party and gave her responsibility of eastern Uttar Pradesh. The Lok Sabha constituency of BJP Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Varanasi) lies in the area. The Congress aims to contest from all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
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