Sonia Gandhi Files Rajya Sabha Nomination At Jaipur State Assembly

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has arrived in Jaipur State Assembly in Rajasthan and has filed her nomination for the Rajya Sabha election. Her son & party MP Rahul Gandhi and her daughter & party's general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are accompanying her.

It was reported that Sonia Gandhi left her residence early in the morning on Wednesday as she is likely to file her nomination for the Rajya Sabha election from Rajasthan today.

Notably, Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the candidature of the following persons as Congress candidates to contest the biennial elections to the Council of States from the states mentioned against their names.

Photo Credit: X/INC

The Rajya Sabha election, scheduled for February 27, is anticipated to be contested by Sonia. On Monday, a high-level meeting of party leaders was attended by Mallikarjun Kharge, Mukul Wasnik, Ajay Maken, Salman Khurshid, and KC Venugopal, indicating that Sonia Gandhi may transition to the upper house, marking her departure from the electoral arena for the first time, reported ANI.

Sonia Gandhi to file nomination from Rajasthan in RS

Sonia Gandhi, the Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson, was seen departing from Delhi to file her nomination for the Rajya Sabha in Jaipur, Rajasthan, today.

Sonia Gandhi, who served as Congress president for almost 22 years between 1998 and 2022, is a five-time Lok Sabha MP. Uttar Pradesh's Amethi and Karnataka's Bellary were the constituencies from which Sonia Gandhi was elected in 1999, and Amethi was retained among the two. In 2004, Sonia Gandhi contested from Rae Bareli, vacating Amethi for Rahul Gandhi, as reported by Hindustan Times.

The presence of Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge is expected when the nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections is filed by Sonia Gandhi, as per the media reports. The deadline for nominations is February 15. A total of 56 Rajya Sabha members from 15 states are set to retire in April, including Manmohan Singh, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan.

Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi also held a membership of the Rajya Sabha from August 1964 to February 1967, making Sonia Gandhi the second member of the Gandhi family to enter the Rajya Sabha.

Reportedly, Sonia Gandhi's decision to shift to the Rajya Sabha is based on health grounds as she cannot frequently visit her constituency. Apart from Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh was also considered as an option for Sonia Gandhi by the party, but Rajasthan was chosen over Himachal Pradesh, according to reports.

Speculations are rife over Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's potential electoral debut following Sonia Gandhi's decision to opt-out from Rae Bareli. However, no decision regarding Priyanka Gandhi's electoral debut has been made by the leadership yet.

On the filing of the Rajya Sabha nomination from Jaipur by Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, it was stated by the party's General Secretary Jitendra Singh, "Sonia Gandhi is welcomed by us. She is welcomed by the people of Rajasthan. During the UPA I and UPA II governments, a lot of work was done... Sonia Gandhi has served as Congress president for a long time... So, there is great joy among Congress people and the public in Rajasthan. Our strength will be bolstered by her arrival."

Meanwhile, it was stated by Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra that Sonia Gandhi was urged by the Pradesh Congress Committee, LoP, those in charge, and all the leaders to file a nomination from Rajasthan if she decides to contest Rajya Sabha elections. They had invited her to the state. They have been instructed to be in alert mode. All their MLAs are in Jaipur today. It was emphasized that whoever the candidate from there will win.

It is believed by Rajasthan LoP Tika Ram Jully that if Sonia Gandhi is coming to Rajasthan and filing the nomination today, it will be a matter of pride for them and the entire Rajasthan. "This is considered a historic moment. She is regarded as their national leader and the epitome of sacrifice. It is acknowledged that she possesses a different aura," said Rajasthan LoP.