Amethi Suspense Ends As Congress Fields Kishori Lal Sharma Against Smriti Irani

The Congress has ended months of speculation over the Amethi Lok Sabha seat by fielding Gandhi family loyalist Kishori Lal Sharma against BJP leader Smriti Irani.

Ending months of speculation over the Amethi Lok Sabha seat, the Congress has named Gandhi family loyalist Kishori Lal Sharma as its contender against BJP's Smriti Irani, the incumbent MP. The Amethi Lok Sabha election date has been fixed for May 20 in the fifth phase.

The Amethi Lok Sabha constituency is a prestige seat for the Congress as it had been with the party since it went to polls for the first time in 1967. Barring two short terms (1977-80 and 1998-99), the seat remained with the Grand Old Party till the BJP's Smriti Irani wrested the bastion from Rahul Gandhi. Irani had earlier challenged Gandhi to contest only the Amethi seat if he was confident enough. However, the Congress first fielded Gandhi from Wayanad in Kerala, saying that the constituency stood with him in times of crisis and he was not one to abandon the people.

KL Sharma declined to comment immediately on the development.

Smriti Irani defeated Rahul Gandhi in 2014 by a margin of over 55,000 votes. The seat was held by Gandhi for three terms from 2004-19. Rahul Gandhi, however, saved his Lok Sabha membership by winning the Wayanad seat.

This year, it was widely speculated that Rahul Gandhi would return to reclaim the seat. Congress workers wanted Rahul Gandhi to contest the Amethi seat and Priyanka Gandhi to stake claim to the Raebareli constituency. However, they were believed to be reluctant about contesting from UP. Former Congress president and the duo's mother Sonia Gandhi is said to have intervened to try and convince them about the same.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that if Rahul and Priyanka decide not to fight in the elections from the two UP seats, it would be disappointing for the Congress workers. 

However, with Friday's move, Priyanka Gandhi has made it clear that she would not participate in the polls. Congress workers on the ground said they were "happy" with the decision.

Who Is KL Sharma?

Kishori Lal Sharma is a Gandhi family loyalist hailing from Punjab's Ludhiana. He has been part of the Bihar and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committees. He is known to have managed the AICC's affairs in Sonia Gandhi's absence.

He is a strong political figure in both Raebareli and Amethi, where he accompanied Rajiv Gandhi during his rallies. He has overseen the management of several elections for the Congress. He was a strong support for Sonia Gandhi when she entered the electoral fray in 1999.

KL Sharma will file his nomination, along with Rahul Gandhi, for the Lok Sabha polls on Friday, May 3.