Lok Sabha 2019: Congress releases first list, Sonia Gandhi to contest from Raebareli, Rahul from Amethi

Congress released its first list for the Lok Sabha elections 2019 on Thursday evening, naming four candidates in Gujarat and 11 in Uttar Pradesh. In total, name of the 15 candidates has been announced by the party in the first list.

As per the announcement, the Congress party president Rahul Gandhi will contest from Amethi (his current seat), his mother and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will contest from Raebareli.

The first list of the grand old party, however, does not feature newly inducted  Congress general secretary for the eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's name.

It was said earlier that Priyanka Gandhi could contest from her mother's constituency. She has for years, campaigned for her mother and brother in Raebareli and Amethi.

Congress’ first list includes senior leader Salman Khurshid, who will contest from Farrukhabad. Another senior leader RPN Singh who served as union minister in Manmohan Singh government will contest from Kushi Nagar.

The Muslim face of the Congress party in Uttar Pradesh, Imran Masood has been fielded from Saharanpur while senior leader Jitin Prasad will contest from Dhaurahra. Annu Tandon has been fielded from Unnao Lok Sabha seat and Nirmal Khatri from Faizabad.

In Gujarat, senior Congress leader and former state president, Bharatsinh Solanki will contest from Anand Lok Sabha seat. He had won the elections from Anand in 2004 and 2009. However, in 2014 he lost to Dilipbhai Patel of the BJP in 2014.

Raju Parmar will contest the elections from Ahmedabad West seat, Prashant Patel will contest from Vadodara, and Ranjit Mohansinh Rathwa will contest from Chhota Udaipur seat.

Sources claimed Election Commission is likely to announce the poll-schedule for the coming Lok Sabha polls this week end or next week.