Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, son of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, has submitted his affidavit for filing his nomination for the Lok Sabha election from Kerala’s Wayanad. He has disclosed assets totaling Rs 20 crore. Interestingly, he does not possess any vehicle or residential flat.
Rahul Gandhi Assets
Rahul Gandhi declared movable assets worth Rs 9.24 crore, consisting of just Rs 55,000 in cash, Rs 26.25 lakh in bank deposits, Rs 4.33 crore in bonds and shares, Rs 3.81 crore in mutual funds, and jewellery valued at Rs 15.21 lakh.
He also holds immovable assets valued at Rs 11.15 crore, including co-owned agricultural land in Delhi’s Mehrauli with his sister and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and office space in Gurugram valued at over Rs 9 crore. While the agricultural land is inherited, the ownership of the office space is not specified.
Rahul Gandhi: Early life and family background
Born on June 19, 1970, Rahul Gandhi hails from the renowned Nehru-Gandhi family, which has played an important role in shaping the political landscape of India. He is the son of Rajiv Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India, and Sonia Gandhi, who served as the President of the Indian National Congress.
Rahul Gandhi’s education
Rahul Gandhi pursued his education at prestigious institutions both in India and abroad. He pursued his school in India and passed the AISSCE from CBSE in 1989.
Following his schooling, Rahul Gandhi completed his Bachelor of Arts from Rollins College in Florida in 1994. He later moved to the United Kingdom to pursue an M.Phil at Trinity College, Cambridge.
Rahul Gandhi’s political career
Rahul Gandhi’s entry into politics was a natural progression given his family’s legacy and his own aspirations to serve the nation. He officially entered the political arena in 2004 when he contested and won the Lok Sabha elections from the Amethi constituency in Uttar Pradesh, a seat that his family has held for generations.
Over the years, Rahul Gandhi has held various positions within the Indian National Congress. He has been vocal on issues such as youth empowerment, rural development, and social justice.
Police cases against Rahul Gandhi
In the affidavit, Rahul Gandhi also disclosed ongoing police cases against him, including one under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) for allegedly revealing the identity of family members of a rape victim in a social media post. He clarified that the FIR is sealed per the Delhi High Court’s directive, and he is uncertain about his involvement in the case.
The affidavit also mentions defamation cases filed by BJP leaders against him and a criminal conspiracy case related to Associated Journals Limited.
Who is Annie Raja?
Having won the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 general election, Rahul Gandhi is now set to contest against CPI leader Annie Raja and state BJP chief K Surendran in the upcoming high-profile contest scheduled for April 26.
Annie Raja is the General Secretary of the CPI’s National Federation of Indian Women and spouse to the party’s General Secretary D Raja. With total assets valued at Rs 72 lakh, Annie Raja’s financial declaration includes Rs 10,000 in cash, bank deposits of Rs 62,000, jewellery valued at Rs 25,000, and an inherited property estimated at Rs 71 lakh.
