Former Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi filed her nomination papers from Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli on Thursday.
The three leaders -Sonia Gandhi with her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and son Rahul Gandhi also conducted a havan at the Congress’ office ahead of undertaking a massive roadshow before Sonia had filed her nomination.
Sonia Gandhi is seeking re-election from Rae Bareli for the fifth time. She had won the seat in 2004, 2006 by-polls, 2009 and 2014.
The BJP has fielded Dinesh Pratap Singh against her who quit the grand old party recently and joined the saffron party. The Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party-RLD combine has not fielded any candidate in this Congress bastion.
Earlier on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi had filed her nominations from adjoining Amethi seat where his family members joined him at the road show.
Sonia while talking to media person after filing her nominations, said that there is no such contest in Rae Bareli.
“People of the country are fed up with BJP and Narendra Modi and they have made up their mind to replace him,” she said. Congress president Rahul Gandhi , who had accompanied his mother, reiterated his statement on Rafale and announced that he is ready even to go to PM’s residence at 7 Race Course to debate over the corruption.
“Country wants to know about Rafale and why Anil Ambani was given Rs 30,000 crore defence deal, ” Rahul said.
Gandhi said after SC decision it is clear that the spec court had also smelled something wrong in the Rafale deal.
In Amethi, Rahul is pitted against his arch rival and union textile minister Smriti Irani, who had fiked her nominations in Amethi on Thursday. Rahul had defeated Smriti in 2014 elections by a margin of over one lakh votes.
Voting in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven different phases between April 11 and May 19. Rae Bareli will go to polls in the fifth phase on May 6. Results will be out on May 23.
