Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Wayanad or family seat Rae Bareli, which one will Rahul Gandhi choose?

New Delhi: After the results of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, Rahul Gandhi has emerged as the hero of the Congress. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has won a big victory in both Wayanad and Rae Bareli seats. he/she won the Rae Bareli seat by a margin of over 3.9 lakh votes and the Wayanad seat by over 3.6 lakh votes. There is talk in Rae Bareli, the stronghold of the Gandhi family, that Rahul Gandhi should choose the Rae Bareli seat as his/her family has a 100-year-old relationship with this constituency. Local businessman Ashu Sahu said, ‘he/she should represent Rae Bareli.’ At the same time, housewife Krishna Srivastava said, ‘he/she has represented Wayanad once. Now he/she should represent this constituency.’ Another local resident Preeti Shukla said, ‘Rahul and Rae Bareli have become a need for each other in this election. This new equation should be maintained.’

Pressure on Rahul to choose Rae Bareli

The Congress cadre in Rae Bareli also wants Rahul Gandhi to give preference to Rae Bareli. A Congress worker said, ‘The results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections have given a clear edge to the Congress and helped strengthen the Congress base in UP. The time has come to strengthen it further.’ A Congress spokesperson stressed the importance of Rae Bareli and said, ‘I am sure Rahul Bhaiya will leave the seat in the south and will not break his/her relationship with this place which matters more.’

What do the experts say?

Political analysts also see Rahul likely to retain Rae Bareli. Professor Sushil Pandey, a political expert at Lucknow’s Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, said, “The political importance of UP and the favourable mandate of 2024 far outweigh the potential political gains from Kerala or Wayanad. And then there is the family legacy. So, Rae Bareli is a natural choice.” Rae Bareli-based political thinker Vijay Vidrohi remarked that Rahul should respect the bond for which people voted for him/her. Meanwhile, Congress MP from Kasargod Rajmohan Unnithan suggested that if Rahul wants to retain Rae Bareli, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could be his/her replacement in Wayanad. Speaking to a news channel, Unnithan clarified that this was his/her personal opinion.

What decision will Rahul take?

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi is currently contemplating which seat to retain between Rae Bareli and Wayanad. he/she has won significant victories in both the areas. Locals believe that he/she should be the candidate from Rae Bareli as his/her family has a long association with the region. Rahul Gandhi has won from both Rae Bareli and Wayanad, but he/she is still unsure about which seat he/she will contest from amid widespread speculation.

One must resign from a parliamentary constituency within two weeks

Citing provisions of law as well as the Constitution, Constitutional expert and former Lok Sabha Secretary General PDT Acharya on Friday said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will have to resign from each of the two seats he/she won in the recently held Lok Sabha election within one to two weeks. Acharya said any candidate who wins two seats has to vacate one seat within 14 days of the election results. Rahul Gandhi can send his/her resignation to the current Speaker Om Birla even after the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha as he/she will continue in the post until a pro tem Speaker is appointed for the 18th Lok Sabha.