Priyanka Set For Electoral Debut In Lok Sabha Polls? Sonia Gandhi Asks Raebareli Voters To 'Stand' By Her Family

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Thursday (14 February) said that she will not be contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections due to health and age issues.

Gandhi on Wednesday (13 February) filed her nomination papers from Rajasthan for the Rajya Sabha polls.

"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, certainly, my heart and soul will always be with you," Gandhi said in a letter to the voters of Raebareli, a constituency in UP from where she has been elected to Lok Sabha several times.

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The former Congress chief said that her family's ties with Raebareli run very deep as several of Gandhi family members have been elected to the Lok Sabha from the seat.

"I am proud to say that whatever I am today, I am because of you and I have always done my best to honour your trust. Now on account of health and age issues, I will not contest the next Lok Sabha election," she said in the message in Hindi.

"After this decision, I will not have the opportunity to serve you directly but my heart and soul will always remain with you. I know that you will stand by me and my family in future, just as you have in the past," Sonia Gandhi wrote.

Gandhi's letter to Raebareli voters comes amid speculations that her daughter and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may contest election from the seat.

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