Rahul Gandhi retains Rae Bareli, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to contest from Wayanad

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will keep the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh and vacate the Wayanad seat in Kerala from where his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will contest, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said on Monday.

Kharge was speaking to reporters after the Congress' top leadership held discussions on the issue at his residence here.

"Rahul Gandhi won from two Lok Saba seats but as per the law, he has to vacate one. Rahul Gandhi will retain Rae Bareli and we have decided that Priyanka ji will fight from Wayanad," the Congress president said.

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and party general secretaries K C Venugopal and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were among those present during the discussions.

After the decision, Rahul Gandhi said both Rae Bareli and Wayanad "will get two MPs".

Rahul Gandhi had won from Wayanad and Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituencies and he has to vacate one of the seats within 14 days of the Lok Sabha results, which came out on June 4.

"I won't let the people of Wayanad feel Rahul's absence," Priyanka Gandhi said.