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The Congress’s 11th-hour, early-morning decision on Amethi and Raebareli contained a big twist. Rahul Gandhi, who was expected to make an all-out bid to win back Amethi, has been announced as the party candidate from Raebareli, the seat vacated recently by his mother Sonia Gandhi when she moved to Rajya Sabha.

In Amethi, the family bastion which defected to the BJP five years ago, the Congress will be represented by Kishori Lal Sharma, a longtime loyalist of the Gandhi family. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could not be convinced to contest from Raebareli — which she had nursed for over a decade on her mother’s behalf.

Both candidates will file their papers today — the last day for filing nominations for the fifth phase of election on May 20.

The Congress decision was announced on Friday after weeks of suspense.

There is concern that the switch of seat for Rahul Gandhi could play into BJP hands, given Union minister Smriti Irani’s victory of 2019 in Amethi. The senior BJP leader is all set to defend the seat and has declared that the Congress delay was the result of cold feet, in view of her imminent victory.

In an exclusive interview with NDTV earlier this week, she said the leadership “is aware that this is a losing seat for them, because if they were so confident of their victory, they would have announced their candidate by now”.

Ms Vadra’s decision not to contest could add to the party’s discomfiture. Many leaders of the Congress suspect that it could create a negative perception that may add reflect on the outcome of the election across the country. Polling on 353 seats is still left, of which the Congress is contesting on 330 seats.

Sources said Ms Vadra’s reluctance stemmed from the fact that her victory from Raebareli could reinforce the BJP allegations of dynasty politics, since all three of them would be in parliament. Sonia Gandhi is already in Rajya Sabha and Rahul Gandhi has contested from Kerala’s Wayanad.

A victory for Mr Gandhi in both Raebareli and Wayanad could lead to a conundrum for the party, since he would have to vacate one of two seats which have equal claims on him.

If Raebareli is the decades-old family bastion, Wayanad is a Congress stronghold which had sent him to the Lok Sabha when Amethi had declined. But that is a bridge the Congress can cross another day.

Former Indian wrestler and Olympic medallist Sakshee Malikkh reacted to BJP’s decision to field former wrestling body chief, Bri Bhushan Singh’s son, Karan Bhushan Singh, as its candidate from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaiserganj seat. Brij Bhushan Singh is an accused in a sexual harassment case.

“Daughters of the country lost, Brij Bhushan won. We all put our careers at stake and slept on the streets for many days in the sun and rain. To date, Brij Bhushan has not been arrested. We were not demanding anything, we were only demanding justice,” Sakshee Malikkh wrote on X.

Six-time MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh faced a massive political storm last year when several protesters, including Olympic medallists Sakshee Malikk and Bajrang Punia, along with Vinesh Phogat, hit the streets of Delhi to protest against Mr Singh, accusing him of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour during his tenure as the President of Wrestling Federation of India. He has denied all allegations against him in the case, which is in court. 

A Delhi court last week dismissed an application by Mr Singh, seeking further examination of evidence concerning his whereabouts on the date — September 7, 2022 — of an alleged sexual harassment incident.

He had told the court that he was not in Delhi when one of the complainant wrestlers was allegedly sexually harassed.
Mr Singh has a strong influence in the Kaiserganj constituency and has represented the Gonda and Balrampur constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. 

The BJP understands knows the political influence the six-time MP holds in the area. Therefore, it has chosen his son as his replacement. Sources in the BJP earlier told NDTV that the party leadership had spoken to him on the issue and that the heavyweight politician was still insisting on a poll pass.

His elder son Pratik Bhushan Singh is an MLA. Karan currently heads the Uttar Pradesh wrestling body.

Meanwhile, celebrations took place at the MP’s home after the BJP announced his son as the candidate for the constituency. “I am thankful to the party leadership and the public that they have allowed me to serve the people here,” Karan Bhushan Singh said. 

Brij Bhushan Singh said, “I am not bigger than the party… I welcome the party’s decision.” 

This is the first time Karan Bhushan Singh will contest elections.