Is Rahul Gandhi tying the knot? This is what he said at rally held in Rae Bareli

Rahul Gandhi, the prominent contender representing the Congress party for the Rae Bareli seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, electrified the atmosphere with his speech during a bustling rally in the heart of the Uttar Pradesh constituency on Monday (May 13). During his speech, the crowd engaged in playful banter, teasing Rahul Gandhi about his marital status and prodding him about his plans to enter wedlock. 

“Ab jaldi hi karni padegi (now, I will have to get married soon),” Rahul Gandhi responded with a smile when asked when he was getting married. 

Watch the video here:

Rahul Gandhi's sister and fellow Congress leader, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, also attended the rally in Rae Bareli. On May 3, the Congress party announced Rahul Gandhi as their candidate for Rae Bareli and KL Sharma for Amethi, leaving out Priyanka Gandhi and Robert Vadra from the election race.

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Rae Bareli, a stronghold of the Gandhi family, has a rich political history. Sonia Gandhi contested and won the Amethi seat in 1999 before passing it on to Rahul in 2004. Prior to Sonia Gandhi's tenure, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi won the Rae Bareli seat three times. The constituency also elected Indira's husband and Congress leader Feroze Gandhi twice, in 1952 and 1957.

At Rae Bareli's Maharajganj, Rahul Gandhi said, “...Ours is a 100-year-old relationship with Rae Bareli. A few days ago when I was sitting with my mother, I told her that I said in a video that I have two mothers - Sonia ji and Indira ji. My mother did not like this, but I explained to her that a mother is the one who shows the path to the child and also protects her. Both my mother and Indira Ji did this for me. This is the 'karma-bhoomi' of both my mothers. This is the reason I have come to contest from Rae Bareli.”

Reaching out to farmers, the Congress MP said, “...I promise that if the Congress-INDIA bloc comes to power at the Centre, my first job will be to waive off loans of poor farmers.”

Rahul Gandhi, currently serving as a Member of Parliament from Kerala's Wayanad, is seeking re-election there also while contesting in Rae Bareli. He previously represented Amethi from 2004 to 2019. In Rae Bareli, he will face off against Dinesh Pratap Singh, a former Congress member now with the BJP, who has served as an MLC three times.

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The Rae Bareli constituency is scheduled for voting on May 20 during the fifth phase of the elections. 

(With inputs from agencies)