My mother will contest from Rae Bareli in 2019 election, not me, says Priyanka Gandhi

Quelling all rumours following her brother Rahul Ganhi's takeover on Saturday as Congress President, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said her mother Sonia Gandhi would again contest the next national election from her constituency Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh.

"There is no question of me contesting from Rae Bareli, my mother will be contesting," Vadra told NDTV, responding to speculation that she would make electoral debut by contesting the 2019 national election from Rae Bareli, the constituency her mother has represented since 2004.

"My mother is the bravest woman I've seen... She will be contesting 2019 elections from Rae Bareli, not me," she added.

Sonia's statement on Friday that her "job is to retire" had triggered buzz of the Congress leader quitting electoral politics.

However, the Congress leaders rushed to clarify that the lady was retiring from the post of party president, not from politics.

Taking to Twitter, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said: "Sonia Gandhi has retired as President of Indian National Congress and not from politics. Her blessings, wisdom and innate commitment to Congress ideology shall always be our guiding light."

Recently, speculation rose over whether Priyanka Gandhi would contest from Rae Bareli if her mother vacates the seat in 2019.

A Congress party official Facebook page, 'Amethi Rae Bareli ki Kahani', or the story of Amethi and Rae Bareli, has its profile photograph of Priyanka Gandhi and brother Rahul Gandhi, who is the Member of Parliament from Amethi.

Though Priyanka was active in the election campaign in Rae Bareli and Amethi, the constituencies of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi respectively, she was apparently reluctant to take up any organisational responsibilities.

But a number of Congress leaders have publicly expressed a view that the party would benefit a great deal if she joins active politics.

OneIndia News