Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s candidacy for the Lok Sabha from Kerala’s Wayanad was confirmed as anticipated during the first meeting of the party’s Central Election Committee (CEC) on Thursday. However, uncertainty persists over whether he will contest the Amethi seat in Uttar Pradesh, which he held from 2004 to 2019.
Despite losing the Amethi seat to Union minister Smriti Irani five years ago, Gandhi has visited the constituency, a traditional stronghold for his family, only three times. The infrequency of his visits has raised concerns about his efforts to regain voter support. Nevertheless, Congress leaders have pointed to an “overwhelming response” during Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra to Amethi, countering the perception of a lack of engagement. The BJP has nominated Irani again as its candidate from Amethi.
The CEC’s initial meeting focused on finalizing candidates from Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, and seven Northeastern states excluding Assam. Shashi Tharoor and Jyotsna Mahant were approved as candidates from Thiruvananthapuram and Chhattisgarh, respectively. Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, present at the meeting, were encouraged to contest the Lok Sabha polls.
For Delhi’s Chandni Chowk seat, names proposed included Alka Lamba, former MPs Sandip Dikshit, and JP Agarwal. For the North West Delhi constituency, Udit Raj and Raj Kumar Chauhan were among the shortlisted candidates. State unit chief Arvinder Singh Lovely, Anil Choudhury, and one more candidate were suggested for the North East Delhi seat.
Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge separately pledged three million government jobs, guaranteed apprenticeships for all degree/diploma holders with a stipend of ₹1 lakh per year, and a social security net for gig workers at a rally in Rajasthan on Thursday. These promises are viewed as an attempt to counter the BJP’s campaign. While the Congress frames them as guarantees, the BJP markets its poll assurances as “Modi ki guarantee,” capitalizing on the Prime Minister’s popularity.