During a public gathering in his Lok Sabha constituency of Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed questions about his marriage. Responding to queries from the audience, the 53-year-old leader humorously remarked, “Now, I will have to get married soon.”
Last year, during an interaction with female students at Jaipur’s Maharani College, the Congress MP explained why he had not considered marriage. When asked why he hadn’t married despite being smart and good-looking, Gandhi stated that he was fully committed to his work and the Congress party, leaving no room for marriage.
On May 3, the Congress announced Rahul as a candidate from Raebareli and loyalist KL Sharma from Amethi, excluding Priyanka as well as Vadra from the electoral contest.
Rahul Gandhi, currently a sitting MP in Kerala’s Wayanad, is seeking a fresh term alongside Raebareli. He represented Amethi from 2004 until 2019. In Raebareli, he will face Congress defector and three-time MLC Dinesh Pratap Singh of BJP.
Raebareli constituency is scheduled for polling on May 20 in the fifth phase. In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi won the constituency with 5,34,918 votes. Her closest rival, Dinesh Pratap Singh, posed a strong challenge, gathering 3,67,740 votes.
In a recent appeal to voters, Rahul Gandhi urged them to come out in large numbers and vote. “Today is the fourth phase of voting! It has become clear in the first three phases that the Indian government is going to be formed on June 4. Remember, your one vote will not only protect your democratic rights but will also change the fate of your entire family. 1 vote = First job of Rs 1 lakh per year guaranteed for youth. 1 vote = Rs 1 lakh per year in the bank account of poor women. So come out in large numbers and vote and show that the country will now vote on its issues – it will not get distracted,” he said in a post on X.
This is Rahul Gandhi’s first major rally in Raebareli after filing his nomination. His sister and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi has been camped in Raebareli, campaigning in the constituency along with Amethi.