Who will Congress field from Amethi, Rae Bareli & Varanasi? These names discussed, says report

Amid suspense over who the Congress will field from Uttar Pradesh's prestigious Amethi, Rae Bareli, and Varanasi seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the grand old party has, according to ABP News, deliberated upon some names to give ticket to from these parliamentary segments.

Also Read | 2024 Lok Sabha polls: Suspense over Cong picks for Rae Bareli, Amethi seats continues

Prime Minister Narendra Modi won Varanasi in the previous 2019 elections and 2014, while Amethi is held by Union minister Smriti Irani, who, in 2019, denied Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a fourth successive term from here. In fact, the party's only winning candidate from the state was its former chief, Sonia Gandhi, from Rae Bareli.

Also Read | Congress reacts to BJP's criticism over Amethi seat: ‘Why so worried about Rahul’

For the upcoming polls, Rahul Gandhi's candidature has already been announced from Kerala's Wayanad, which he contested simultaneously with Amethi five years ago, and won. His sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, meanwhile was projected to make her electoral debut from their mother's Rae Bareli constituency, which is now vacant following Sonia Gandhi's election to the Rajya Sabha. The siblings, however, are extremely unlikely to contest from the country's most populous state, which has the highest representation (80) in the 543-seat Lok Sabha.

Also Read | Lok Sabha Polls: Rahul, Priyanka from Amethi, Rae Bareli: Congress PEC resolution

Under an agreement with the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Congress will fight on 17 constituencies, while the rest will be with the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP.

Amethi

While national spokesperson Supriya Shrinate was reportedly discussed as a potential candidate, it is believed that she informed the party that she will not contest the polls. Other names that were discussed include Rampur Khas MLA Aradhana Mishra Mona, ex-MLC Deepak Singh, Vijay Pasi, among others.

Rae Bareli

The name of Swami Parsad Maurya, who resigned from the SP and floated his own political outfit, was discussed as potential nominee.

Varanasi

National spokesperson Pawan Khera, who was arrested last year for alleged derogatory comments on PM Modi, could face the prime minister from here. Alternatively, the party could field Ajay Rai, who heads its UP unit, and came third in both 2014 and 2019.

Who has the BJP fielded?

PM Modi and minister Smriti Irani will fight from their respective seats again. The ruling party, however, is yet to declare its Rae Bareli candidate.