'Know that you are taking care of my…': Sonia Gandhi's emotional letter to Rae Bareli, a subtle hint from Priyanka's debut
The Gandhi family has a deep-rooted bond with Rae Bareli as Sonia Gandhi's father-in-law, Firoz Gandhi, had won the seat in the first Lok Sabha elections. It has been a stronghold of the Congress Party for years.
New Delhi: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi dropped a subtle hint that a member of the Gandhi family might contest from the party's stronghold of Rae Bareli in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. In an open letter to the voters of the constituency, Sonia Gandhi, the current MP from Rae Bareli, informed them that she will not contest the elections due to poor health and age-related issues.
Expressing her gratitude to the people of Rae Bareli for their continued support to her family since the first Lok Sabha elections in the country, Sonia Gandhi said, “I am proud to say that what I am today is due to to your unconditional support. I have always done my best to respect your trust. Now, due to failing health and age issues, I will not contest the next Lok Sabha elections.”
Claiming that her family's ties with Rae Bareli run deep, Gandhi signed off the one-page letter in Hindi saying, “My heart and soul will always be with you. I know that you too will take care of me and my family in all difficulties, just as you have done so far.”
“After this decision, I will not have the opportunity to serve you directly, but my heart and soul will always remain with you. I know you will support me and my family in the future as you have done in the past,” Sonia Gandhi wrote amid buzz of Priyanka Gandhi preparing to replace her in Rae Bareli as the Congress candidate in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
CPP is a high priority at the CPP I think I like it – pic.twitter.com/6zlJkWjwvi
— Congress (@INCIndia) February 15, 2024
The Gandhi family has a deep-rooted bond with Rae Bareli as Sonia Gandhi's father-in-law, Firoz Gandhi, had won the seat in the first Lok Sabha elections. It has been a stronghold of the Congress Party for years. It is considered a prestigious constituency and has always been closely associated with the Gandhi family. Sonia Gandhi's decision not to contest the upcoming elections has left the field open for a new candidate from the family.
The constituency has witnessed defeat for the grand old party thrice since independence. The first defeat came shortly after the 'emergency era' of 1975-1977.
Notably, Sonia Gandhi's decision to 'call it quits' after the heat of the Lok Sabha elections comes after her four consecutive terms as MP from Rae Bareli.
Gandhi reluctantly made her debut in politics in 1999 and was elected MP by Amethi. In the 2004 general election, she was elected MP for Rae Bareli and led her party to power at the Centre.