Sonia Gandhi files nomination for Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan
What's the story
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi filed her nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections from Rajasthan on Wednesday.
It will be the 77-year-old leader's first term in the Upper House after serving five terms as a Lok Sabha MP.
This news follows a high-level meeting with senior party leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party's General Secretary KC Venugopal.
The last day for nominations is Thursday.
Context
Why does this story matter?
On February 27, 56 Rajya Sabha seats, including the one previously held by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, will go to polls.
The Congress is poised to secure one of Rajasthan's three Rajya Sabha seats.
Notably, Gandhi's choice to contest from Rajasthan, instead of a southern state like Telangana or Karnataka where the party also holds a strong position, signals the Congress's focus on the Hindi heartland.
In 2019, Gandhi announced that she would contest her final Lok Sabha election.
History
Sonia Gandhi's political journey and health concerns
Gandhi's political journey began in 1999 after she was first elected to the Lok Sabha, after taking over as the Congress president.
Reports indicate that her move to the Rajya Sabha is due to health reasons, as she cannot frequently visit her constituency.
She will be the second member of the Gandhi family to join the Rajya Sabha, after former PM Indira Gandhi, who served in the Upper House from August 1964 to February 1967.
New candidate
Speculations on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's electoral debut
As Gandhi steps down from the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat, speculation arises that her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may be considered a candidate for the constituency.
However, no official decision has been made by the party leadership regarding her electoral debut.
Meanwhile, Gandhi's children Rahul Gandhi and Vadra accompanied her to Jaipur to file her papers. She was received by senior leader and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, along with others.
Other seats
Congress expecting to retain 9 of 56 seats
The Congress is yet to announce other potential candidates for the Rajya Sabha seats.
According to reports, former Madhya Pradesh Congress President Kamal Nath is vying for a Rajya Sabha berth. Under Nath's leadership, the party received a drubbing in the 2023 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections.
Of the 56 Rajya Sabha seats available, the Congress is expecting to retain at least nine, including one from Madhya Pradesh.