Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said that she will not be contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections because of her health and age.
In a message to voters in Uttar Pradesh’s Raebareli, a constituency she has been representing since 2004, she said that her relationship with the constituency is “very old”.
“Our family’s ties with Raebareli run very deep. In the first Lok Sabha elections held after Independence, you made my father-in-law Feroze Gandhi win from here and sent him to Delhi. After him, you made my mother-in-law Indira Gandhi your own. From then till now, this series has continued with love and enthusiasm through the ups and downs and difficult paths of life, and our faith in it has become stronger.”
“You also gave me space to walk on this bright path. After losing my mother-in-law and my life partner forever, I came to you and you spread your arms for me. In the last two elections, you stood by me like a rock even in difficult circumstances, I can never forget this,” she said.
“I am proud to say that whatever I am today is because of you and I have always tried to live up to this trust,” the 77 year-old Congress leader added.
“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 it is certain that my heart and soul will always be with you,” she said in a statement in Hindi.
With her decision, speculations are rife that Sonia Gandhi’s daughter and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would be contesting in the coming general elections from the seat.