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After weeks of deliberations and speculations, Congress announced on Friday that Rahul Gandhi would be its candidate from the traditional Gandhi family stronghold of Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh while Kishori Lal Sharma will contest from Amethi against BJP's Smriti Irani in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Congress party members expressed happiness over KL Sharma's candidature from Amethi. "There is no shortage of enthusiasm. KL Sharma has always helped everyone for the last 30-35 years, irrespective of their party," Congress worker Raghav Ram Mishra said. Shubham Singh, another Congress worker said, "Whatever directions 'Didi' and 'Bhaiya' have given are very good. We are always ready to obey the high command's decision. There were expectations that either of them would contest Amethi but we will try to convince the people and try to rally support for our candidate." Exuding confidence in winning the Amethi Lok Sabha seat, Congress worker Yogendra Yadav said, "There is no disappointment. We will win from here. KL Sharma is also a part of the (Gandhi) family now. He has worked for the Gandhi family in Amethi for 30-35 years. There is no resentment among the workers. The Gandhi family is coming for KL Sharma's nomination. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge will be here..." Meanwhile, Congress leader Kishori Lal Sharma thanked party national president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi for the opportunity to contest from the Gandhi family's "traditional seat" Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. "I would like to thank Khargeji, Sonia ji, Rahul ji, and Priyanka ji for giving a "chotte" karyakarta like me an opportunity to contest from a seat that is their family bastion. I will work hard. I have been working in this constituency for the last 40 years. I came here in 1987 as a Youth Congress member and from then I have been here. I started my career with Rajiv ji. In 1987, Rajiv ji brought me here. Then the circumstances were such that I stayed here. We made Sonia ji win from here, Rajiv ji win from here," KL Sharma said while speaking to ANI on his candidature. Both will file their nominations on Friday, May 3, as today is the last day for the process. The seats will go to polls in the fifth phase on May 20. The Amethi seat has been represented by Rahul since 2004 and he remained a member of Parliament from the constituency till 2019. His father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, too, was an elected member of Amethi in the Lower House from 1981 till his death in 1991. BJP's Smriti Irani defeated Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 General Elections. The Congress is contesting 17 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh as part of the seat-sharing deal with its ally partner, Samajwadi Party (SP). (ANI)
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