Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday decided to retain the Rae Bareli seat, which has been a bastion for the family and the party, after winning from there in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. However, he will be vacating the Wayanad seat as per the provisions, informed party president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Addressing a press conference following a meeting at his residence, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge informed about the party's unanimous decision for Rahul Gandhi to continue from Rae Bareli.
He said, "Rahul Gandhi ji was elected from two seats, and according to the laws, he has to vacate one seat and can continue on one seat. As tomorrow is the last date, today we unanimously came at the decision that Rahul Gandhi ji should continue from Rae Bareli as the constituency is very close to him and very important for the family that has contested and won from there over the years."
Meanwhile, the party has decided to field Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from the Wayanad seat which will be vacated and will require bypolls, added Kharge.
The Congress president said, "More importantly, the Wayanad seat where he also contested and won, the people want him to retain it. However, as the law does not permit it, with a heavy heart and a lot of thinking, we decided that Priyanka ji should contest the empty seat in Wayanad.
"I want to thank both of them for keeping our word and hence, I am declaring that we have retained Rae Bareli and in Wayanad, the people will find strength with Priyanka ji there even as Rahul ji is vacating the seat," added Kharge.
The Congress chief further heaped praise on Priyanka Gandhi saying, "I want to thank Priyanka Gandhi for the efforts she put behind our performance and our win in Uttar Pradesh regaining Amethi and Rahul ji's seat Rae Bareli."
It may be noted that Rahul Gandhi won from both Wayanad in Kerala and Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh by huge margins in the Lok Sabha elections.
However, the rules mandate him to vacate one of the seats within 14 days of the results being declared which came out on June 4.