Sonia Gandhi pens heartfelt letter to Raebareli, announces decision not to contest 2024 Lok Sabha elections
With 56 members of Rajya Sabha from 15 states retiring in April, elections for these seats are scheduled for February 27, with the last date for filing nominations being February 15.
FollowCongress leader Sonia Gandhi on Thursday (February 15) announced that she will not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, citing health concerns. On Wednesday, Gandhi filed her nomination papers from Rajasthan for the Rajya Sabha polls.
In a heartfelt letter, the 77-year-old leader expressed, "Due to health and increasing age, I will not contest the next Lok Sabha elections. After this decision, I will not get the opportunity to serve you directly, but, certainly, my heart and soul will always be with you."
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Sonia Gandhi filed her nomination from Jaipur in the company of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The party is poised to secure one Rajya Sabha seat from the state, marking Sonia Gandhi's debut term in the Upper House after serving five terms as a Lok Sabha MP.
The Congress veteran, who represented Raebareli in Lok Sabha, will step back from the general elections. Her parliamentary journey began in 1999 when she was elected as an MP after assuming the role of Congress president.
With 56 members of Rajya Sabha from 15 states retiring in April, elections for these seats are scheduled for February 27, with the last date for filing nominations being February 15.
The Congress holds a favorable position to secure one of the three Rajya Sabha seats from Rajasthan, soon to be vacated after former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh completes his six-year tenure in April.
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This move marks Sonia Gandhi's entry into the Rajya Sabha, becoming the second member of the Gandhi family to do so after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who served in the Upper House from August 1964 to February 1967.
