Congress' UP leaders say Rahul's decision to retain Rae Bareli to strengthen party in crucial state

Raebareli/Lucknow, Jun 17 (PTI) Congress leaders in Uttar Pradesh expressed their happiness at Rahul Gandhi's decision to retain the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat, saying the move will strengthen the party in the politically crucial state.

Rahul Gandhi will retain the Rae Bareli constituency and vacate the Wayanad seat in Kerala from where his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will make her electoral debut.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge announced the decision on Monday after the party's top brass held discussions on the issue.

Reacting to the development, the Congress' Uttar Pradesh chief Ajay Rai told PTI, "It was the demand of party workers that Rahul Gandhi remain a Lok Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh. The way in which Sonia Gandhi had told the people of Rae Bareli that she was handing over her son to them, that promise has been fulfilled. This will strengthen the Congress in the entire state." On May 17, during the Lok Sabha election campaign, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi said she was "giving her son" to the people of Rae Bareli. "Rahul will not disappoint you." She also thanked the people of Rae Bareli for giving her the opportunity to serve them as an MP for 20 years.

"My everything is all given by you. So, brothers and sisters, I am giving you my son," she had said.

Sonia Gandhi was first elected as an MP from Rae Bareli in 2004 and represented the seat till earlier this year when she vacated it on getting elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha.

Rahul Gandhi registered an emphatic win from Rae Bareli, defeating his nearest rival Dinesh Pratap Singh of the BJP by 3.90 lakh votes.

Congress' Uttar Pradesh unit spokesperson Vikas Srivastava told PTI, "Rahul Gandhi's decision to retain Rae Bareli will prove to be a 'sanjeevani' for the party in Uttar Pradesh." "Undoubtedly, the morale and the confidence level of the Congress workers will increase significantly. And, most importantly, politics of development will eventually prevail over hatred and communalism," he said.

Manish Hindvi, another Congress spokesperson, said, "As a worker of the Congress' Uttar Pradesh unit, it is definitely a matter of happiness for me. This decision will send a strong message to the entire Hindi-speaking belt of India, including Uttar Pradesh." The Congress' Raebareli district unit chief Pankaj Tiwari also welcomed the decision.

"We all welcome the party's decision. Wayanad will now get the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi. All the workers are very happy that Rahul Gandhi did not leave the Rae Bareli seat." The Congress' Raebareli media in-charge Vinay Dwivedi said the people of Rae Bareli gave Rahul Gandhi a historic victory. The party needs a strong leadership in the south and for this Priyanka Gandhi will take charge there.

The Congress, which contested the Lok Sabha elections in an alliance with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, won six seats from the state.

The Samajwadi Party won 37 seats from the state, which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. PTI COR NAV SNS SZM