Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi may contest a Lok Sabha seat from Karnataka after Amethi. In fact, a guessing has begun in party circles following the Congress’ resounding victory in the Karnataka Assembly polls.
“Soniaji had contested from Bellary while Indiraji had fought the Lok Sabha bypoll from Chikmagalur, so why not Rahul,” party insiders asked.
Top Congress leaders have a history of contesting another seat from the south after Amethi and Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh.
If Indira Gandhi’s victory in the Chikmagalur byelection led to the downfall of the Janata Party government at the Centre in 1978-79, Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s victory from Bellary in 1999 proved lucky for the Congress, which came to power at the Centre in 2004.
In 1980, Indira Gandhi won an Lok Sabha seat from Medak, Andhra Pradesh.
Now, Karnataka has emerged as the strongest state of the Congress. “Rahul Gandhi can fight from two places — Amethi in Uttar Pradesh and from Karnataka,” party insiders said.
The Congress has been in power in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala but the two states are not considered safe for different reasons.