Sonia Gandhi, Smriti Irani to file nominations from Rae Bareli and Amethi today

Sonia Gandhi and her family members will take part in a 'havan' at the Congress' central office. She will undertake a 700-metre road show before filing the nomination, party spokesman LKP Singh said.

Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi: UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi is set to file her nomination papers for Lok Sabha elections for the Rae Bareli seat on Thursday. Gandhi is also set to hold a road show in Rae Bareli. Sonia Gandhi and her family members will take part in a 'havan' at the Congress' central office. She will undertake a 700-metre road show before filing the nomination, party spokesman LKP Singh said. Sonia Gandhi is trying to retain the seat for the fifth time. The seat, which will head for voting in the fifth-phase on May 6, will see a straight contest between Sonia Gandhi and Dinesh Pratap Singh, who had recently joined the BJP after leaving the Congress. The Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party have not fielded any candidate in this Congress bastion. Sonia Gandhi had won the seat in 2004, 2006 (bypolls), 2009 and 2014. Even Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani will be filing her nomination for the Amethi seat on Thursfday. Irani will be contesting against Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who filed his nomination for the same on Wednesday; in the presence of his entire family. The voting for the 1^st phase of Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh began at 7 am on Thursday. The results of the same will be out on May 23.