Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi is set to file her nomination for the Rajya Sabha polls from Rajasthan, news agency PTI reported citing party sources on Tuesday. The decision comes after Priyanka Gandhi reportedly declined the offer to contest Lok Sabha polls from the Raebareli seat.
Sonia Gandhi, currently serving as the Lok Sabha MP from the Raebareli seat in Uttar Pradesh, is expected to submit her Rajya Sabha nomination papers on Wednesday.
According to the PTI report, sources have suggested that Sonia Gandhi may file her nomination either from Rajasthan or Himachal Pradesh. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi is likely to contest the Lok Sabha elections this time, as per the report.
The filing of nomination is anticipated to take place in Jaipur, with party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accompanying Sonia Gandhi, according to PTI.
It is to be noted that the last date for nominations is February 15, and the elections are scheduled for February 27.
While Sonia Gandhi has represented Raebareli in the Lok Sabha, she has decided not to contest the upcoming general election. The move marks a shift to the Rajya Sabha for the former Congress president.
The Congress is expected to secure Rajya Sabha seats comfortably from Karnataka, Telangana, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh. Although the party has not announced candidates for the biennial elections for 56 seats from 15 states, Sonia Gandhi's nomination is seen as a strategic move.
With Sonia Gandhi stepping back, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may consider contesting either from her Rae Bareli seat or the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency, previously held by Rahul Gandhi. The party leadership is yet to make a final decision on Priyanka Gandhi's potential participation in the Lok Sabha elections.
Sonia Gandhi, a five-term Lok Sabha MP since 1999, had announced in 2019 that it would be her last Lok Sabha election. This upcoming Rajya Sabha nomination will mark her entry into the Upper House for the first time.