Will Sonia Gandhi take the Rajya Sabha route to Parliament? Speculations rife in Congress

Telangana Congress leaders have been demanding that Sonia should fight Lok Sabha elections from one of the seats in their state.

New Delhi: Amidst suggestions that Sonia Gandhi may not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, speculations about the top Congress leader taking the Rajya Sabha route to continue in Parliament is growing even as some party units are demanding that she fight the polls from their states.

In case 76-year-old Sonia, who represents Gandhi family pocket borough Rae Bareli at present, does not contest the Lok Sabha elections, some sections have suggested that she fight the Rajya Sabha elections from Karnataka or Himachal Pradesh.

Telangana Congress leaders have been demanding that she should fight Lok Sabha elections from one of the seats in the state like Khammam.

However, the party has not officially announced Sonia's future plans on fighting the Lok Sabha or Rajya elections. Elections for 56 Rajya Sabha seats from 15 states are scheduled for February 27 while the last date of nominations is February 15.

On Tuesday, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar dismissed speculation that Sonia will fight Rajya Sabha polls from Karnataka while Himachal Pradesh Congress president Pratibha Singh said the lone seat falling vacant in the state could go to Sonia or her daughter and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra if they wish so.

Shivakumar said, "all such information is false, no such discussions have happened." Singh said, "we will discuss the matter with Sonia-ji and Priyanka-ji. The seat could go to them if they are willing. Their names can be considered if they so desire."

Karnataka has four Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant and Congress could manage to ensure victory in a maximum of three cases. In Himachal, the seat that is becoming vacant is that of BJP president J P Nadda, who will have to fight from another state as the Congress is the ruling party and has the numbers.

If Congress decides to field Sonia in Rajya Sabha elections, the party will choose a state from where it can extract some extra seats during the Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, Telangana Congress had raised the demand for Sonia contesting from their state.

Also, another question that will stare at the Congress will be Sonia's successor in Rae Bareli and whether Priyanka bites the bullet. If Priyanka chose not to enter electoral politics, the Congress will have to look at a formidable candidate.