Sonia’s Letter to Rae Bareli Post Nomination: Direct Service Unlikely, But My Heart Will Be with You; Keep the Family in Mind

Since 2004, Sonia Gandhi, who has contested Lok Sabha elections from Rae Bareli, filed her nomination for the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan on Wednesday. The following day, Thursday, she wrote a letter to the people of Rae Bareli. In her letter, she mentioned that although she will not contest the Lok Sabha elections this time, her heart and soul will always remain with Rae Bareli.

Sonia Gandhi last visited Rae Bareli on April 13, 2019. Following her visit, she filed her nomination for the Lok Sabha elections. Afterward, she did not visit Rae Bareli again. Later, Priyanka Gandhi campaigned for her mother in the constituency.

Sonia Gandhi’s Letter to Rae Bareli: A Message of Gratitude and Connection

Greetings,

My family feels incomplete in Delhi. Coming back to Rae Bareli completes me by reuniting me with all of you. The deep ties with our family and Rae Bareli are longstanding, and I feel fortunate to have received blessings from my in-laws. The connection with Rae Bareli runs deep in our family. After independence, in the first Lok Sabha elections, you elected my husband Feroze Gandhi, who then represented Rae Bareli and later entrusted my mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi, to represent your interests.

Since then, through the ups and downs of life, traversing difficult paths and encountering numerous challenges, love and enthusiasm have only grown, strengthening our belief. You have provided me the space to tread this illustrious path. After losing my mother-in-law and life partner, I felt lost, and it was your steadfast support that guided me back to you. In the recent two elections, even amidst challenging circumstances, I have never forgotten the trust you placed in me. I take pride that everything I am today is because of you, and I have always endeavored to uphold your trust.

Due to health reasons and advancing age, I will not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Despite this decision, I may not directly serve you, but it’s crystal clear that my heart and soul will always remain with you. I know you will continue to take care of me and my family through every challenge, just as you have done so far.

Potential Candidates for the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha Seat

The Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat could witness a shift in candidacy, potentially favoring Priyanka Gandhi over Sonia Gandhi, according to political speculations. Rae Bareli remains the safest seat for the Congress party, having only lost thrice since the first Lok Sabha elections in 1952.

Indeed, the significance of this seat resonates deeply with the Gandhi family. Figures like Feroze Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Arun Nehru, and Sheila Kaul have all served as Members of Parliament from Rae Bareli, either as members of the Gandhi family or through their affiliations. Feroze Gandhi, notably, was the son-in-law of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, while Sheila Kaul was the wife of Kamala Nehru’s brother.

Sonia Gandhi Files Nomination for Rajya Sabha Seat from Rajasthan

Sonia Gandhi, on Wednesday, filed her nomination for the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan. Following her arrival in Jaipur, the party promptly announced her candidature.

Sonia Gandhi will be filling the vacant seat left by former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in the Rajya Sabha. Local Congress leaders are notably enthusiastic about her candidacy. This marks the first occasion where a member of the Gandhi family is contesting a Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha seat directly from Rajasthan.

Sonia Gandhi’s Nomination Boosts Congress Morale in Rajasthan

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, opposition leader Tika Ram Jully, and PCC Chief Govind Singh Dotasra have stated that Sonia Gandhi’s decision to contest the Rajya Sabha seat from Rajasthan will enhance the morale of party workers. During the legislature party meeting, Congress State President Govind Singh Dotasra mentioned that Sonia Gandhi’s nomination will infuse fresh enthusiasm in Rajasthan. He also expressed aspirations to appoint Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister and affirmed concerted efforts towards this goal.

Following Sonia’s candidacy, Congress will have 6 Rajya Sabha MPs from Rajasthan, except for Neeraj Dangi, who will be excluded among all five MPs. After the nomination, Sonia Gandhi will return to Delhi along with Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi.

Sonia Gandhi’s Political Journey

Sonia Gandhi became a member of the Congress party in 1997. Just 62 days later, she assumed the position of party president. Since then, until 2017, she remained the party president. No other president in the history of the Congress party has served for such a long tenure.

She contested the Lok Sabha elections for the first time in 1999. She contested and won elections from Bellary (Karnataka) and Amethi (Uttar Pradesh). Afterward, she vacated the Bellary seat.

In 2004, she contested from Amethi, and later shifted to the Rae Bareli constituency. Since then, she has been a Member of Parliament. Sonia Gandhi resigned from her parliamentary seat due to the Office of Profit issue in 2006 but won the by-elections.

On October 2, 2007, on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, Sonia Gandhi addressed the United Nations, leading to the declaration of this day as International Day of Non-Violence.

In 2004, 2007, and 2009, Sonia Gandhi was listed by Forbes among the world’s most powerful women. She was among the top 100 influential people globally.

Under her leadership in the 2009 general elections, Congress won more than 200 seats for the first time since 1991 and played a significant role in making Manmohan Singh the Prime Minister once again.

Sonia Gandhi served as the Congress president continuously for 15 years until 2013, setting a record. The 2014 Lok Sabha elections marked the party’s worst performance (44 seats), leading to the formation of the NDA government under Narendra Modi’s leadership.