Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday said he has not ruled out contesting the Lok Sabha elections from a second seat other than Amethi. Gandhi told PTI that many Congress leaders have contested from more than one constituency in past elections, and that the party will take a call on his candidature from another seat soon.

“Amethi is my ‘karmabhoomi’ [the place where one is destined to work] and shall always remain so,” Gandhi said. “I am deeply grateful for the love, affection and the sentiments expressed by our party workers in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala who have asked me to contest a second seat from their states.” The Congress chief said Narendra Modi also contested from two seats – Varanasi and Vadodara – in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Advertisement

The Kerala unit of the Congress has reportedly asked the Congress chief to contest from Wayanad.

In 2014, Gandhi defeated the Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate Smriti Irani by over 1.05 lakh votes in Amethi. Irani is the BJP’s candidate from the constituency this time again.

Asked about his sister and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi contesting the polls, the Congress chief said she will take the decision. “As far as Priyanka is concerned, it is up to her to decide if she wants to contest the election or not,” he said.

Advertisement

“I have looked at young as well as experienced candidates equally because I have believed that Congress party needs both,” Rahul Gandhi added. “Seniors are fighting elections. We also have many new faces who will be fighting their first election.”

On Thursday, Priyanka Gandhi, urged by party workers to contest the polls, had asked: “Why not Varanasi?” Varanasi is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency.

The Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19, and the results will be announced on May 23.